At GITEX Global 2025, Abu Dhabi’s defense-tech conglomerate EDGE and the UAE Cybersecurity Council (CSC) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation around national cyber defense.
This collaboration is more than a handshake it’s a signal that the UAE is tightening the bonds between government and industry to protect its digital frontier.
Why it matters: in an era of accelerating cyber threats ranging from ransomware attacks to nation-state espionage no single entity can stand alone. This pact could change how critical infrastructure, defense systems, and public networks respond to incidents, share threat intelligence, and build up local cybersecurity talent.
What the Agreement Covers
The new collaboration sets out a broad framework for joint activity in four key areas:
- Research & Development (R&D): Co-developing next-generation cybersecurity tools and frameworks.
- Information Exchange: Sharing threat intelligence and indicators of compromise (IOCs).
- Incident Response Coordination: Aligning playbooks, response processes, and escalation protocols.
- Capacity Building: Training, certifications, and upskilling the UAE’s cybersecurity workforce.
Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the Cybersecurity Council, underscored the move as part of the UAE’s larger vision to “reinforce our collective ability to protect critical infrastructure.” EDGE’s CEO, Hamad Al Marar, echoed this, calling cybersecurity “a cornerstone of national security” and emphasizing the importance of “self-reliant and resilient digital ecosystems.”
Context & Strategic Significance
EDGE, originally focused on advanced defense systems and technologies, has steadily ramped up its cybersecurity capabilities—most notably through its 2023 acquisition of OryxLabs, a digital risk protection firm. The MoU appears to formalize that evolution: combining EDGE’s technical muscle with CSC’s regulatory and national-mission mandate.
For the UAE, the timing couldn’t be better. Digital transformation, AI adoption, smart cities, and national-scale critical systems are rising targets. This agreement helps close gaps by synchronizing private- and public-sector defenses.
What It Means for MEA & Beyond
Though this is a UAE-centric deal, its ripples could reach across the Middle East and Africa:
- Regional model: The approach may serve as a template for similar public-private cybersecurity alliances in GCC, North Africa, and Eastern Africa.
- Talent & certification spillover: Regional professionals may benefit through cross-border training, certifications, and joint programs.
- Threat sharing: Unified intelligence frameworks may surface region-wide threats faster helpful in a landscape where attacks often don’t respect borders.
Yet challenges lie ahead: legal sovereignty, data sharing constraints, trust frameworks, and the perennial issue of keeping pace with threat actors. Execution, not just intent, will determine success.
10 Recommended Actions for Those in Security Teams
- Map to this alliance: If you’re a UAE or GCC-based organization, check whether your infrastructure could integrate with the CSC–EDGE collaborative ecosystem.
- Engage with national programs: Seek to participate in capacity-building initiatives that CSC and EDGE may roll out.
- Watch for shared IOCs: Monitor for threat feeds resulting from this alliance get early access if possible.
- Align with national standards: Verify compliance with UAE national cybersecurity frameworks, especially those CSC may endorse.
- Plan for interoperability: When procuring security tools or platforms, ensure they can integrate with national threat-sharing systems.
- Invest in R&D partnerships: Organizations should position to co-innovate or pilot new tools with government initiatives.
- Strengthen incident readiness: Benchmark your IR playbooks against national playbooks and test cross-agency coordination.
- Uplift workforce skills: Enroll your team in UAE-endorsed certification or training programs linked to this alliance.
- Advocate for data-sharing frameworks: Engage with policymakers to ensure safe, lawful, and privacy-respecting information exchange.
- Stay agile: Monitor announcements from EDGE and CSC for new programs, grants, or pilot opportunities to join early.
Conclusion
The EDGE–UAE Cybersecurity Council MoU signals a maturing cybersecurity posture in the Gulf: one where private-sector tech power and government oversight move in lockstep. If well-implemented, this collaboration could strengthen national resilience, catalyze regional cybersecurity standards, and deliver capacity-building opportunities across MEA. But words mean little without follow through success depends on execution, trust, and shared vision.
