OIC Member States Urged to Strengthen Collaborative Cybersecurity Efforts

Tanveer Ahmed:

Islamabad: A two-day international workshop on “Cybersecurity Challenges and Opportunities in OIC Member States” began at the COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad, Pakistan. The event is organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in partnership with Huawei Technologies Pakistan Pvt. Ltd.

The workshop brings together cybersecurity specialists from OIC member countries, including Fazlin Abdullah, Head of Cybersecurity Malaysia; Fakhri Jafarov, Head of Azerbaijan’s CERT Malware Research Lab; Iskander Dusekeyev from Kazakhstan’s KZ-CERT; Professor Ibrahim Soğukpınar from Gebze Technical University in Turkey; and Zarifa S. Mustafa, Manager of Cybersecurity at Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency.

During the opening session, Major General (Retd.) Hafeez Ur Rehman, Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), underscored the need for unified global efforts to combat cybersecurity threats. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding digital infrastructure and promoting international collaboration for a secure digital future.

COMSTECH Coordinator General, Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, proposed convening an OIC ministerial conference to foster knowledge-sharing and strengthen cyber defenses across member states. He also announced plans to organize two global cybersecurity forums in Central Asia and Africa in collaboration with Huawei.

Sun Xiaofei, CEO of Huawei Technologies Pakistan, highlighted the essential role of technology companies in enhancing cybersecurity and safeguarding digital rights. He reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to assisting OIC countries in overcoming cybersecurity challenges and building a secure digital ecosystem.

The workshop features sessions on topics such as “5G Security and Privacy Protection,” “Strategies for Network and Data Protection for SMEs,” and “The Role of Cybersecurity in Digital Transformation.”

The opening ceremony was attended by ambassadors from Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Morocco, alongside university vice-chancellors, IT leaders, government officials, and students. Over 300 participants, both in-person and online, are engaging in the workshop.

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