RIYADH: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia signed on Thursday a memorandum of understanding in the field of cybersecurity. Kuwait was represented in the MoU’s signing, on the second day of the Riyadh-held Global Cybersecurity Forum, by the Head of National Center for Cybersecurity Maj Gen Mohammad Bouarki, while Saudi Arabia was represented by Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) Majed Al-Mazyad.

In a statement to KUNA, Bouarki said that this MoU is aimed at opening broad horizons for transferring knowledge and sharing experiences in the cybersecurity field between the two sides, stressing the importance of cooperation in the field to better counter cyberattacks.

On Wednesday, Bouarki had stressed the need of building an effective system of cybersecurity to protect countries from threats. In statements on the sidelines of his participation in the Global Cybersecurity Forum, Bouarki said it is imperative to boost cybersecurity culture to ensure safe and proper use of cyberspace. He said that human element is important in cybersecurity and without trained cadres, digital systems could be threatened by cyberattacks.

He affirmed that cybersecurity helps countries maintain their information secrecy from being hacked by hostile countries or exposed to cyberattacks that cause a paralysis or financial losses to their economies. Commenting on the forum, Bouarki said it has contributed to opening broad horizons for transferring knowledge, sharing experiences, exploring opportunities for cooperation on cybersecurity topics with a strategic dimension, backing international efforts and unifying joint endeavors in this regard, in addition to stimulating social and economic development in aspects of cybersecurity.

Finally, he thanked Saudi Arabia’s national cybersecurity authority for hosting this global forum, which has become an international platform to benefit from participants’ and specialists’ expertise. — KUNA