Upon an official invitation from the organizers of the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF Annual Meeting 2025), the Director General of the National Cybersecurity Authority, Mr. Igli Tafa, paid an official visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the most important global event in the field of cybersecurity, which this year was held under the theme “Coordinated Development in Cyberspace”.
During the visit, the director participated in two high-level international panels, held bilateral meetings with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Oman, discussed promoting cooperation with other Gulf countries, and agreed to sign an international agreement with the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI), further strengthening Albania’s role in the global cybersecurity ecosystem.
Albania, a success story in building digital resilience
In a panel on cyber law and regulating the technological revolution, Mr. Tafa shared Albania’s experience in strengthening the legal and institutional framework for cybersecurity, through alignment with the NIS2 Directive, the adoption of the new law on cybersecurity and the implementation of 21 by-laws, of which 16 have already been finalized.
He stressed the importance of building a sustainable digital framework, supported by institutional cooperation, professional capacity development and the involvement of the private sector, to ensure sustainability and long-term protection against growing risks.
In the discussion, Albania was praised as a success story, ranking among the top 20 countries in the world for cybersecurity, according to the Global Cybersecurity Index – an achievement that reflects the legal and institutional reforms undertaken in recent years.
Albania’s approach to gender equality in cyberspace
In a panel dedicated to empowering women in cyberspace, the director of AKSK highlighted the need for immediate and measurable action, through building clear pathways from education to leadership, incorporating gender indicators into national strategies, and creating flexible and secure work environments.
He highlighted that gender equality should be treated as an essential pillar of global cyberspace security, emphasizing that only through coordinated and responsible action can real sustainability and inclusiveness be achieved in this strategic sector.
New collaborations with Saudi Arabia and Oman
Within the framework of the forum, the director held official bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Oman, where concrete cooperation initiatives and joint projects to strengthen national capacities in the field of cybersecurity were discussed.
In the meeting with the National Cyber Security Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (NCSA), Mr. Tafa presented two concrete cooperation projects:
- the establishment of the National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security, with the assistance of NCSA;
- the creation of the Center for Monitoring, Response and Management of Cyber Incidents for the Health Sector in Albania.
The Saudi side expressed its willingness to formalize the cooperation through a concrete action plan and to sign a cooperation agreement between the two institutions.
At the meeting with the National Cyber Security Authority of the State of Oman, the project for establishing a joint training platform to increase professional capacities in the public and private sectors was presented. The parties agreed to proceed with the signing of a cooperation agreement, which will formalize this partnership.
Expanding cooperation with other Gulf countries
During his stay in Riyadh, the director also held meetings with representatives of Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, with a focus on:
- developing capacities to face the risks arising from Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computers, and
- building a Quantum Resistance Layer for critical national infrastructures.
These meetings paved the way for expanding regional cooperation and creating new technological and institutional partnerships in support of digital sustainability.
Signing of the agreement with the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI)
Following the meeting between the Director General of AKSK and the Executive Director of USTTI, it was agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen human capacities in the field of cybersecurity, through the development of training programs, the exchange of best practices and the sharing of professional experiences.
In line with the global mission of USTTI, AKSK will serve as a success story and example of international cooperation, sharing its experience with countries in Latin America and Africa.
Albania in the focus of international media
During the forum, the AKSK director was also part of a series of interviews for international media, where he shared Albania’s vision for building a sustainable, inclusive and collaborative ecosystem in cybersecurity, highlighting the country’s growing role on the global stage.
Through these commitments, Albania reaffirmed its role as a reliable partner and contributor to the international cybersecurity agenda, advancing regional and inter-institutional cooperation to strengthen digital resilience.
