One Shield, Six Nations

Bahrain Rallies the Gulf Around a Unified Cyber Defence

In a era where digital threats evolve faster than borders can contain them, Bahrain stepped forward as the Gulf's cybersecurity convenor — bringing together the region's top digital defence minds under one roof.

Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of Bahrain's National Cybersecurity Centre, chaired the fifth meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Cybersecurity in Manama — a high-stakes gathering held under the Kingdom's presidency of the 46th GCC session, and attended by GCC Secretary-General Jassem Mohammed Al Budaiwi.

Shaikh Salman framed the committee not as a routine forum, but as a strategic nerve centre for Gulf digital unity. The meetings, he stressed, serve as a platform for aligning visions, synchronising approaches, and building a cyber-ready Gulf capable of confronting tomorrow's threats today.

With the technological landscape shifting at breakneck speed, Shaikh Salman called for a unified Gulf position — one that transforms shared values into shared defences, and national interests into collective resilience.

Delegates reviewed joint GCC cybersecurity initiatives, examined coordination mechanisms, and charted pathways toward a trusted, secure Gulf cyberspace that protects common interests and underpins the region's sustainable development ambitions.