CybersecurityDubai Electronic Security Center signs ITU pact on global digital resilience
A new United Nations partnership will build global scenarios and policy guidance to keep essential digital infrastructure running during major cross-border crises.
CybersecurityIn brief: The Dubai Electronic Security Center and the International Telecommunication Union signed an agreement at the 2026 plenipotentiary conference. The partnership covers two main areas and works through the Global Digital Resilience Forum to help organisations prepare for large-scale disruptions to critical digital systems.
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, chief executive of the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), signed an agreement in Doha with Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The pact was signed at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (PP-26). It commits DESC and the United Nations (UN) agency for digital technologies to countering large-scale failures, known as digital pandemics, through realistic scenarios and practical emergency solutions. The deal also advances the Dubai Cybersecurity Strategy by expanding the centre's international partnerships.
What was announced
The plenipotentiary conference meets every four years as the ITU's highest decision-making body, bringing together representatives from its 194 member states. Bogdan-Martin said growing dependence on digital infrastructure makes preparing for disruptions and keeping people connected during emergencies essential. She said DESC's contribution will support the agency's work to identify and manage risks to critical digital systems. Al Shaibani said the partnership will help organisations and individuals prepare for major digital disruptions through realistic scenarios, training and clear procedures. He added that the agreement will strengthen Dubai's role in international efforts to protect cyberspace.
Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, director general of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), attended the signing ceremony. Al Mesmar said digital infrastructure security and the continuity of essential services are shared global responsibilities. He said countries must move beyond responding to crises and focus on anticipating risks and preparing for them through international cooperation.
Earlier work on systemic digital risks
The Doha agreement builds on an international report titled When Digital Systems Fail: The Hidden Risks of Our Digital World. The ITU issued the study with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and Sciences Po under the Critical Digital Risks initiative. Thirteen global experts from government entities, international organisations, academic institutions and the private sector contributed to the proactive resilience frameworks. Dubai was the only participant from the Middle East and North Africa in the group. Dr. Bushra AlBlooshi, executive director of the Cybersecurity Governance and Risk Management Department at DESC, represented the centre. AlBlooshi helped develop high-impact risk scenarios, analysed interdependencies across critical sectors and supported frameworks for crisis preparedness and recovery.
The report establishes a global framework for managing systemic digital risks and warns of cascading failures across interconnected infrastructure. It examines how severe solar storms, submarine cable disruptions, satellite congestion and extreme weather events could affect healthcare, financial services, transportation and emergency services. To protect critical infrastructure, the study outlines six key priorities, including strengthening the understanding of vulnerabilities, modernising risk management frameworks, improving coordination to address critical risks, enhancing international cooperation, and building recovery and response capabilities for digital crises.
Al Shaibani said: "Dubai's participation in this global effort reflects our commitment to advancing digital resilience beyond traditional cybersecurity frameworks. As digital systems become increasingly interconnected, resilience requires a broader understanding of infrastructure interdependencies, environmental impacts, and systemic risks." He said international collaboration helps strengthen global preparedness, enhance the stability of vital services and support secure, resilient and future-ready digital ecosystems. The initiative coincided with the UAE keeping its place in the highest Role Modelling tier of the ITU's 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index.
What happens next
Under the new agreement signed at PP-26, which runs until November 27, DESC and the ITU will execute two main workstreams. The partners will first study how armed conflicts, cyberattacks, natural disasters and disruptions to submarine cables, satellite networks and essential systems affect digital services. The signatories will then turn research into practical measures through the Global Digital Resilience Forum. The forum will bring together governments, experts, academics and other stakeholders to develop research, policy recommendations and guidance that improve digital preparedness.
Sources: Dubai Electronic Security Center, Gulf News
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