Doha, 05 Oct 2026

The fifth annual Cyber Governance and Assurance Conference brought together government bodies, regulators and cybersecurity experts to highlight Qatar’s growing efforts to strengthen digital security and build greater resilience against emerging cyber threats.

Speaking to Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of the conference, Mohammed AlMannai, Director of Resilience, Risk and Programme Delivery at the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), said the annual event has become an important platform for recognising organisations that contribute to Qatar’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

He said the conference featured the presentation of certifications to companies and local organisations under the NCSA’s National Information Assurance (NIA) certification programme. This year’s discussions also focused on emerging issues, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and operational technology, reflecting the rapid adoption of AI across different sectors.

AlMannai also highlighted the launch of the National Information Security Risk Management Framework and the Enterprise Information Security Risk Management Framework. The new frameworks are designed to help identify cybersecurity risks at the national level while enabling organisations to establish stronger and more structured cybersecurity risk-management practices.

He added that NCSA would follow the launch with training programmes for organisations. Official dates will be announced and organisations will be invited to participate, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the frameworks and how they can be applied.

Mohammed Mohsin Al Haddad of the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) said his organisation was working closely with NCSA to support the implementation of the NIA programme among financial market participants.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that financial institutions and market participants follow recognised cybersecurity best practices and guidelines. He noted that QFMA’s responsibilities include oversight of entities operating within Qatar’s financial markets, making cybersecurity an important part of protecting the sector and maintaining confidence.

For Omar Sherin, Partner and cybersecurity leader at PwC Qatar, receiving NCSA certification as an accredited consulting services provider represented an important milestone. He said the recognition enables PWC to support organisations in Qatar in meeting NCSA cybersecurity requirements.

Sherin described the conference as particularly significant at a time when AI, digital transformation and geopolitical developments are reshaping the security landscape. He stressed that digital transformation and AI adoption must be supported by digital trust and strong cybersecurity measures.

Ramakrishnan Balagopal, Vice President for EMEA region at SISA, said the accreditation provided an important recognition of the company’s two decades of specialised cybersecurity experience, particularly in financial services and payment security. He said NCSA’s approval would give customers additional confidence in SISA’s capabilities and expertise.

He also welcomed the strong participation at the conference, noting that experienced cybersecurity professionals and CISOs were attending, reflecting the growing importance attached to cybersecurity in Qatar.

Muhammad Ishaq, Associate Partner at Dr Sultan Al-Dosari and Partners, said the conference demonstrated the seriousness with which Qatar is approaching cybersecurity. He highlighted the need to protect cloud-based systems and confidential client information, while expressing hope that the event would strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors in addressing evolving cyber challenges.