GCF co-hosts high-level officials and Ambassadors to the UN in New York City to explore international collaboration in Cyberspace
19 February 2025
The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF), in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), co-hosted its first ‘Meet GCF’ of 2025 in New York City.
Held at the United Nations Headquarters, the event convened UN officials, Ambassadors, experts, and members of the international diplomatic community to lead the discussion on how the global community can work together to overcome challenges and harness opportunities in Cyberspace.
In his opening remarks, Mohammed Al-Ateek, Deputy Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the UN, reflected on the statement made by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the outset of the GCF Annual Meeting 2024: “Cyberspace is closely linked to the growth of economies, the prosperity of societies, the security of individuals, and the stability of nations.” This holistic approach, noted Mr. Al-Ateek, is one “we need collectively to adopt for cybersecurity, encompassing social, economic, behavioral, and security dimensions.”
The event included a session on ‘Collective Action in Cyberspace: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities,’ where Chris Inglis, first U.S. National Cyber Director, emphasized the need for innovative partnerships and diverse collaborations between all stakeholders to create a safer, more secure Cyberspace for all.
The event brought to the fore GCF’s active contributions to advancing global initiatives and partnerships that address key issues and opportunities in Cyberspace, from the economic dimension of cybersecurity through the newly launched Centre for Cyber Economics, in collaboration the World Economic Forum, to the social dimension, ensuring that Cyberspace is a safe and secure place for children globally.
“Today, GCF stands as a global, non-profit organization and a permanent platform for collaboration - an evolution that has enabled GCF to expand its efforts and build important partnerships across several activities,” said Eng. Abdulrahman AlHassan, Acting CEO of GCF.
At Meet GCF New York, a new partnership between GCF and the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) to deliver the ‘Empowering Women to Leadership in Cyber’ program was announced, aimed at advancing women’s leadership in cybersecurity positions. The program is part of the Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity (WEC) initiative – instated by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud - which aims to bridge the global cybersecurity talent gap through efforts to upskill and empower more women in the sector.
The New York meeting is the latest in the ongoing ‘Meet GCF’ event series held in global cities, following previous editions in Riyadh, Geneva and Brussels.