ENEC, UAE Cyber Security Council Seek to Fortify Energy Industry

/ News & Interviews / Wednesday, 12 October 2022 05:10

As a strategic move to secure its clean energy initiative, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has signed an MoU with the UAE Cyber Security Council to support the development and review of national-level strategies, polices and standards for the cybersecurity of the UAE energy sector.

His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, managing director and chief executive officer of ENEC, and His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity for the UAE Government, signed the agreement.

The MoU aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two entities to a greater extent through information exchange, expertise and training support, with ENEC providing experts for the establishment of a national-level Security Operations Center.

Commenting on the development, Al Hammadi said, “This is an important step in the journey to evolve the nation’s cyber strategies and further advance its intellectual wealth. Cybersecurity is a critical focus for ENEC as we work to ensure we are well-equipped to mitigate any potential cyber challenges. By working closely with the UAE Cyber Security Council, we are committed to share best practices and ensuring the UAE strengthens its position as a world leader in innovation with the most advanced cyber systems.”

The Global Cybersecurity Index 2020 issued by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has ranked the UAE fifth globally in terms of its strong cyberinfrastructure.

Al Kuwaiti further added, “The MoU aims to unite efforts and capabilities to develop and disseminate modern technologies that enhance and contribute to the establishment of protected infrastructure."

The MoU follows the first CyberEnergy Leadership Forum held in September, which was organized by ENEC in partnership with the UAE Cyber Security Council and in collaboration with the United States Department of State, the United States Department of Energy and leading international experts. The forum discussed the current cybersecurity landscape with more than 117 experts sharing best practices to enable the clean energy transition.

The Cyber Security Council and ENEC have committed to working together on hosting another CyberEnergy Leadership Forum in 2023, a national-level forum for sharing information on key issues around cybersecurity strategy and implementation.

Under the terms of the MoU, the Cyber Security Council and ENEC will also collaborate to develop and conduct periodic exercises for the energy sector to respond to any cyber incidents. The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, owned and developed by ENEC, uses the most modern and advanced nuclear technologies and is the first fully digitalized nuclear energy plant in the world. The Cyber Security Council will also collaborate with ENEC in developing and conducting periodic exercises for the energy sector to respond to any cyber challenges.

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