UAE launches Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence in collaboration with Google Cloud

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cabinet has approved its support of Google Cloud’s launch of its first Cybersecurity Excellence Centre in Abu Dhabi — an initiative that underscores the UAE’s commitment to advancing digital transformation and bolstering cybersecurity.

This strategic initiative with Google Cloud is aligned with the vision of the nation’s leadership to position the UAE as a global hub for cybersecurity excellence.

The initiative highlights the government’s dedication to support the building of a secure and advanced digital ecosystem that keeps pace with global developments and provides a trusted environment for businesses, enterprises, and institutions across all sectors. It also reflects the country’s broader strategy to invest in emerging technologies and empower national talents, ensuring regional and global leadership in the field of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Milestone

The milestone follows the official visit of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and UAE National Security Advisor, to the United States, where he met with a number of global industry leaders and CEOs to explore avenues for building and expanding strategic partnerships with UAE in artificial intelligence. These discussions focused on AI’s potential to accelerate sustainable growth, enhance global innovation, and advance digital infrastructure.

In line with these continuous efforts, the UAE Cybersecurity Council, in collaboration with Google Cloud, announced this strategic initiative aimed at supporting the UAE’s position as a global leader in cybersecurity innovation and education. This initiative, supported by the Cybersecurity Council, will see the establishment of the first-ever Cybersecurity Excellence Center in the region.

Tangible outcome

The launch of this pioneering Centre in Abu Dhabi is a tangible outcome of the UAE’s future-oriented vision, which aims to strengthen the nation’s resilience against cyber threats, support secure digital transformation, and further establish the UAE as a global hub for innovation and technology.

Google Cloud also announced a dedicated accelerator program in 2025, selecting 25 high-potential start-ups from Hub71’s ecosystem for a three-month program focused on scalable growth strategies and optimising business models.

Additionally, all start-ups within the Hub71 community are eligible for substantial Google Cloud credits, with top-performing start-ups accessing up to $300,000 in credits — the highest tier available globally.

The initiative will meet the aspirations of start-ups in the field of entrepreneurship, enabling them to benefit from Google Cloud’s services for emerging companies.

Advanced cloud capabilities

Google Cloud will also, with CSC’s backing, make significant investments in advanced cloud capabilities in the UAE. The initiative will rely on Google Cloud’s secure, scalable and high-performance global infrastructure to provide the necessary foundation for advanced cybersecurity innovation. This underscores Google Cloud’s long-term commitment to the UAE’s cybersecurity vision, and the nation’s confidence in the platform’s security capabilities to strengthen its cyber resilience.

The initiative is poised to generate significant economic benefits for the UAE. By creating a secure digital ecosystem, the UAE can mitigate billions of dollars in potential cybercrime losses, foster a thriving cybersecurity sector, and attract substantial foreign direct investment. Based on research conducted by Access Partnership, enhanced cybersecurity capabilities are projected to prevent at least $6.8 billion in cybercrime losses by 2030, support over 20,300 specialised cybersecurity jobs, and attract up to $1.4 billion in cumulative foreign direct investment by 2030.

Safet internet

The cybersecurity-focused centre of excellence in Abu Dhabi, will be dedicated to strengthening cybersecurity capabilities across the UAE and beyond. Designed as a world-class hub for building a safer internet.

Key objectives

1. Collaboration & knowledge sharing: Partnering with global academia, research institutes and policymakers to share knowledge, amplify impact, and promote intelligence sharing across sectors;

2. Training & education: Equipping people and organisations with the skills needed to combat evolving threats

3. Expert talent: Building and maintaining a highly skilled team of intelligence analysts and security experts.

Next generation of cyber talent

A skilled cybersecurity workforce is essential for defending against increasingly complex threats. To address this need, a CSC-endorsed training program will be delivered from the Centre of Excellence by Mandiant, part of Google Cloud. This program leverages Mandiant’s global security professionals, who possess over 20 years of industry-leading investigative experience. This program offers a unique opportunity within the UAE to learn directly from experts actively handling the world’s most sophisticated cyberattacks.

Cyber threats

“This strategic collaboration with Google Cloud is a cornerstone of the UAE’s vision to become a global cybersecurity leader. Our collaboration will not only help address the immediate cyber threats that our nation faces but, crucially, will cultivate the next generation of cybersecurity experts and foster the development of cutting-edge solutions needed to secure our digital future,” said Dr. Mohamed Alkuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government.

“The UAE has a clear vision to become a global leader in cybersecurity, and Google Cloud is honoured to be a foundational collaborator in building that future. Our shared goal represents a powerful combination of digital infrastructure, a hub for innovation, and a training ground for the next generation of cyber defenders. This will equip organisations and individuals with the skills and AI-driven solutions needed to thrive in the face of evolving threats,” said Cristina Pitarch, Managing Director, EMEA, Google Cloud Security.