Pakistan says signed cybersecurity cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia at LEAP 2026

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bolster bilateral cybersecurity cooperation during the LEAP 2026 technology conference in Riyadh, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication announced. The agreement, signed between Pakistan’s IT ministry and Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), was one of several outcomes from Pakistan’s delegation visit to the event, which ran from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 and drew more than 1,800 technology brands, 600 startups and 1,900 investors.

Direct quote

"A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Pakistan's Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Saudi Arabia's National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), aimed at strengthening bilateral cybersecurity cooperation through the exchange of expertise and best practices to address emerging cyber threats," the IT ministry said in a statement. The ministry also described the visit by IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja as "successful."

Context and details

Shaza Fatima Khawaja led the Pakistani delegation to LEAP 2026, delivered a keynote address and inaugurated the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion, which showcased 25 startups and more than 50 Pakistani tech companies offering solutions in artificial intelligence, automation and other digital technologies. The ministry said Pakistan's participation aimed to facilitate B2B partnerships, attract international investment and expand market access for the nation's technology sector.

• Bilateral meetings: Khawaja held talks with Saudi IT and Communications Minister Abdullah Al‑Swaha and met international counterparts including Dr. Noureddine Ouadah, Algeria’s minister of knowledge economy, startups and microenterprise; Bae Kyung‑Hoon, South Korea’s minister of science and ICT; and Deemah AlYahya, secretary general of the Digital Cooperation Organization.
• Startup deals and partnerships: OfficeFlow AI signed an Incubation Partnership Agreement with Dhahran Techno Valley (DTV) to develop and scale an AI‑powered business automation platform across the region, and also signed a deal with MIS Arabia, a Saudi technology services firm that counts Aramco among its clients.
• Investment secured: Edversity, an Ignite‑supported Pakistani startup that operates an AI‑powered education platform, secured a $400,000 investment from Rapidev Group at LEAP 2026 to accelerate international expansion.
• Sector growth: Pakistan’s technology exports reached a record $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2026, according to the Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA), underscoring why the Kingdom has become an increasingly important market as it invests in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence under Vision 2030.

Outlook

The MoU with the NCA is designed to systematize cooperation through exchanges of expertise and best practices to confront emerging cyber threats, potentially enabling joint exercises, information sharing and capacity building. For Pakistani startups, agreements with Saudi counterparts such as DTV and MIS Arabia, coupled with direct investment deals like Rapidev Group’s $400,000 injection into Edversity, point to tangible commercial pathways into the Gulf market.

Officials framed the LEAP visit as delivering "concrete outcomes" for Pakistani technology firms, signaling continued engagement between Islamabad and Riyadh in cyber resilience and digital trade as both governments pursue deeper tech ties and market access in the coming months.