UAE National Cybersecurity Strategy: What it means for businesses

UAE National Cybersecurity Strategy: What It Means for Businesses

The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has recently approved the National Cybersecurity Strategy and a new API‑First Policy for federal entities during a meeting held at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi. With this decision, the UAE strengthens its commitment to a secure and resilient digital environment that matches the pace of the country’s digital transformation.

His Highness emphasized that the UAE ranks among the top countries worldwide in the Global Cybersecurity Index and has one of the most advanced digital infrastructures. The new National Cybersecurity Strategy aims to consolidate and reinforce this position by protecting national assets and supporting future progress.

Five Pillars of the National Cybersecurity Strategy

According to the Cabinet’s official statement, the National Cybersecurity Strategy is built around five main pillars: governance, protection, innovation, capacity development, and partnership. The strategy seeks to establish a cohesive and highly effective cybersecurity governance framework, ensure a secure and resilient digital environment, facilitate the rapid and safe adoption of innovations, strengthen national capabilities in digitalization and cybersecurity, and promote cooperation at both national and international levels.

In this context, having a robust Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution becomes essential for organizations to consistently enforce their security policies across all corporate devices, control access to sensitive data, and respond quickly to incidents. An MDM enables centralized configuration, updates, and monitoring of devices, ensuring compliance with protection, traceability, and control standards required by national cybersecurity frameworks and internal IT governance policies.

The Strategy also aims to ensure that cybersecurity measures stay aligned with the pace of the UAE’s digital transformation, thereby helping the nation maintain its high global cybersecurity ranking.

API‑First Policy for Federal Entities

In the same meeting, the Cabinet approved an API‑First Policy for ministries and federal entities. This policy defines the requirements and procedures that technology and digital systems and applications must follow to guarantee rapid interconnection and integration with other systems—governmental or private—in line with approved programs and policies.

The API‑First Policy also regulates relationships between providers and users and reinforces collaboration between the public and private sectors in delivering government services. The goal is to enable more agile and consistent system integration, supporting efficiency and quality in digital services.

Innovation and Talent in the UAE Digital Agenda

During the meeting, His Highness highlighted that innovation is embedded in the culture and operations of the government. In this spirit, the “UAE Government Innovation Month” has been announced, showcasing the role of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, which shares best practices with over 30 governments worldwide.

The Cabinet also approved a new phase of the UAE’s Talent Attraction and Retention Strategy 2031, focused on attracting and retaining global talent in key sectors such as technology, renewable energy, healthcare and biotechnology, logistics and aviation, advanced industries, financial services, food and water technologies, and the creative economy. The official statement cited a LinkedIn report ranking the UAE as a top global destination for professionals seeking new opportunities and a high standard of living, noting the country’s leadership in human development across the MENA region.

Other Strategic Projects Reviewed by the Cabinet

Aside from the National Cybersecurity Strategy, the Cabinet reviewed the Etihad High‑Speed Passenger Rail project, which will connect Abu Dhabi and Dubai at speeds of up to 350 km/h. According to the announcement, this project is expected to transform mobility and economic connectivity between emirates, contributing over AED 145 billion to GDP over the next 50 years.

Additional key decisions included:

• Approval of the UAE Logistics Integration Council to coordinate policies, strategies, and programs within the logistics sector.

• Approval of the National Geospatial Data Policy to enhance cooperation and information management.

• Review of progress on the Circular Economy Agenda 2031 and the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2022‑2030.

• Analysis of results from the National Youth Agenda 2031 and the Federal Government’s Chief AI Officer appointment program.

• Approval of the UAE’s membership in the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and ratification of 33 international agreements and memorandums, including several on double taxation avoidance.

Finally, the Cabinet authorized the organization of several international events in the country, including the United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the First International Camel Forum 2025.

In this context, having a clear device management and security strategy is key to aligning with the UAE National Cybersecurity Strategy. If you’d like to assess how your Apple devices are currently managed and explore how a specialized MDM can support compliance with the country’s security and digital governance requirements, Setek’s team can help you evaluate your current setup and define the next steps.