Global Cybersecurity Forum addresses global cyber challenges

Policymakers and experts at the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) Annual Meeting in Riyadh called for greater global collaboration in Cyberspace to empower and protect individuals worldwide.

They emphasised the need for stronger educational systems focused on cybersecurity and the development of a more inclusive cyber workforce to address a global shortage of 2.8 million cyber professionals.

“Cyberspace is closely linked to the growth of economies, the prosperity of societies, the security of individuals and the stability of nations,” said His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, in a statement welcoming participants to the 4th GCF Annual Meeting.

Held from 2-3 October, the forum prioritised ensuring Cyberspace is safe for all, especially vulnerable groups like children, while building resilience against increasing cyber threats.

“We have to work among like-minded nations – countries who agree with things like protecting children, protecting our economic prosperity and growth, protecting our national security,” said former U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper, who spoke during the opening plenary.

New opportunities

GCF aims to address the geostrategic, economic, social, and behavioural dimensions of cybersecurity, driving collective action to ensure Cyberspace remains a space for prosperity and well-being globally.

“The workforce is not nearly inclusive enough and society and our education systems are not putting enough focus on cybersecurity,” said Sir Jeremy Fleming, former director of the UK’s GCHQ. “There are plenty of opportunities through the lens of resilience for nations and communities to work together.”

Over 70 high-profile speakers from government, the private sector, and academia engaged in two days of discussions. Despite challenges in the evolving Cyberspace, the forum carried an optimistic tone, centred on the potential of multistakeholder collaboration.

Former European Commission president José Manuel Barroso called for cooperation on global public goods, particularly child protection. “I don't see any reason why governments, in spite of geopolitical interests and differences, should not consider child protection a global public good,” he said. “Competition is unavoidable between states. Cooperation is indispensable.”

On the second day, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir, highlighted the importance of Crown Prince's initiatives—Child Protection in Cyberspace (CPC) and Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity (WEC)—as catalysts for global cooperation.

“There are areas that can be used to build confidence, and that confidence helps us to work better with each other,” Al-Jubeir said.

The forum also featured the Child Protection in Cyberspace Global Summit, organised in collaboration with UNICEF, the ITU, the DQ Institute, and WeProtect Global Alliance, which focused on pathways to safeguard children online.