During his speech at the launch of the two-day Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed that coordinated international efforts have to be accelerated immediately to improve cybersecurity and safeguard children in the digital world. Key global figures from 125-plus countries comprised former prime ministers, government officials, industry leaders, and others attending the event.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “Cyberspace is highly interlinked to the rise of the economies, prosperity of societies, security of individuals and stability of nations.” He added that since cyberspace is inherently international, cooperative action on a global scale is required to seize its opportunities and confront its challenges through strategic investments in human resources.

This forum has served as a conduit for top-level discussions on cybersecurity, an act that reflects the intent of Saudi Arabia towards becoming a proactive player in global digital safety. The Crown Prince MBK restated that Kingdom will remain a “force for good” in human prosperity and cooperation on the global platform. He presented a list of initiatives that tend towards development improvement and collaboration across different sectors.

In 2020, Saudi Arabia kickstarted two global significant initiatives related to cybersecurity one includes the protection of children online and other includes women empowerment in the cybersecurity field. The institute managing the Global Cybersecurity Forum is responsible for the implementation of both initiatives and all their associated projects.

Some of the areas in which progress has been noted through such effort, mostly in terms of deepening the understanding of global needs, are as represented below: leading to new visions and impactful initiatives that enable frameworks and strategies aimed at enhancing child protection in cyberspace and increasing women’s participation in cybersecurity.

The advancements reflect Saudi Arabia’s greater investment in the human capital and a safer digital environment for future generations. The forum marks an important step towards unified efforts across different nations in tackling the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity challenges.