ABU DHABI - The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Cyber Security Council to support the development and review of national level strategies, polices and standards for the cybersecurity of the UAE energy sector.

The agreement was signed at ENEC Head Quarters in Abu Dhabi by His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ENEC and His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government.

The collaboration is part of ENEC’s commitment towards progressing cyber security in the UAE’s clean energy sector, enhancing resilience and deploying best-in-class technology. The MoU will elevate the strategic partnership between the two entities through the exchange of information, expertise and training support, with ENEC providing experts for the establishment of a national-level Security Operations Center.

His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, said: “This is an important step in the journey to evolve the nation’s cyber strategies and further advance its intellectual wealth. Cybersecurity is a critical focus for ENEC as we work to ensure we are well-equipped to mitigate any potential cyber challenges. By working closely with the UAE Cyber Security Council, we are committed to share best practices and ensuring the UAE strengthens its position as a world leader in innovation with the most advanced cyber systems.”

Due to the qualitative transfer of the world in the field of cybersecurity and the strengthening of the country's leading position globally for the same, the UAE ranked the fifth globally in terms of its strong cyber infrastructure, in the report of the Global Cybersecurity Index 2020 issued by the International Telecommunication Union.

Dr. Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security of the UAE Government, said, “Reflecting the direction of our wise leadership, our mission is to strengthen the vital cyber sector to reduce risks, fortify confidence, enable growth for all sectors and raise response readiness. The MoU aims to unite efforts and capabilities in order to develop and disseminate modern technologies that enhance and contribute to the establishment of protected infrastructure."

He also highlighted that the country's foresight to move forward into the digital world through a sophisticated and secure infrastructure, has required the upgrading of technical systems and ensuring these are continuously updated in accordance with the latest requirements. This in turn contributes to raising the expertise of the UAE cybersecurity sector on the international stage, driving the transfer and exchange the knowledge and services globally.

The MoU builds on the success of the first CyberEnergy Leadership Forum held last month, organised by ENEC, in partnership the with the UAE Cyber Security Council and held in collaboration with the United States Department of State, United States Department of Energy, and leading international experts. The forum discussed the current cybersecurity landscape with more than 117 experts sharing best practices to enable the clean energy transition.

The Cyber Security Council and ENEC have committed to working together on hosting another CyberEnergy Leadership Forum in 2023, a national-level forum for sharing information on key issues around cybersecurity strategy and implementation. The forum falls in line with ENEC’s support of, and alignment with, the UAE’s National Cyber Security Strategy, through engaging with local and international stakeholders to enhance resilience and set new standards of excellence.

Under the terms of the MoU, the Cyber Security Council and ENEC will also collaborate to develop and conduct periodic exercises for the energy sector to respond on any cyber incidents. The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, owned and developed by ENEC, uses the most modern and advanced nuclear technologies, and is the first fully digitalised nuclear energy plant in the world. The Cyber Security Council will also collaborate with ENEC in developing and conducting periodic exercises for the energy sector to respond to any cyber challenges.

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plants, developed by ENEC, use the latest and most advanced nuclear technology, where all systems are aligned to the approved cyber standards in cooperation with the Cyber Security Council to ensure the compliance.