Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The fourth annual Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) will begin in Riyadh on Wednesday. The two-day forum, with the theme "Advancing Collective Action in Cyberspace,” will be held under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) is organizing the GCF with the aim to enhance international cooperation in addressing pressing issues in cyberspace. A host of thought leaders, decision-makers, and leading international entities will attend the forum.

The GCF will feature a distinguished group of decision-makers and chief executives from relevant international organizations, a selection of high-level speakers representing various government and academic sectors, and representatives of leading global companies from more than 120 countries.

The GCF will host the first-ever Child Protection in Cyberspace (CPC) Global Summit, organized by the NCA and the GCF Foundation, in collaboration with the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and various stakeholders from the private sector, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions worldwide.

The CPC summit will address key topics around child protection in Cyberspace and aims to spur initiatives that will unify efforts in order to achieve maximum impact, thereby addressing a challenge that has become more pressing in the context of the increasing use of modern technologies by children.

The CPC Global Summit aligns with the goals of the global initiative by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to safeguard children in cyberspace by raising global awareness among decision-makers about the growing threats children face in the digital realm. This year’s GCF continues to build on the foundations and objectives set by previous editions, bringing together several high-level international officials.

The GCF will feature a series of panel discussions focusing on the following themes: Overcoming cyber disparities by building trust to enhance prospects for international cyber cooperation; cyber behavior and the social fabric in cyberspace to promote inclusion; making cyberspace a catalyst for development and bridging the social gap among communities, organizations, and countries; thriving cyber economy, which aims to discuss the contribution of the cyber economy to development by advancing markets in this vital and promising sector; new cyber horizons, which will explore mechanisms for leveraging emerging technologies to drive progress and innovation.

The GCF is a global platform that brings together decision-makers, government representatives, companies, cybersecurity leaders, academia, and non-governmental organizations. It operates in line with the strategic objectives of the GCF Foundation, aiming to enhance cybersecurity at the international level, achieve economic and social development, and align and support related international efforts.