Plenary: Sustainability at Risk: Drawing Insights from Climate Talks to Elevate Cybersecurity

Moderator – John Defterios

The participation of high-level officials in the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) signifies the importance of secure cyberspace for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. This demonstrates the country’s recognition that cyberspace is an integral part of the security apparatus, especially in conflict-ridden areas. The Middle East and North Africa region is currently experiencing upheavals due to ongoing conflicts, further highlighting the significance of addressing cybersecurity.

Saudi Arabia also acknowledges the need to address cybersecurity in the Global South. The initial reactions to the start of the pandemic were more focused on protecting one’s own citizens, without considering the global community. However, just like a pandemic, situations in cyberspace can cross boundaries, and Saudi Arabia sees the necessity for the Global South to be protected digitally as they continue to develop. The country recognizes the growth opportunity within the Global South and the importance of safeguarding it digitally.

Emphasis is placed on collaboration and a global perspective when addressing cybersecurity needs in the Global South. John Defterios, a prominent figure, suggests adopting a global approach to tackle the cybersecurity challenges faced by developing nations, particularly within the Global South. He draws parallels between cyber issues and the global nature of a pandemic, emphasizing the need for a coordinated and collaborative effort.

Despite regional unrest, there is trust in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States’ ability to maintain stability. The Gulf States have a history of 35 years of coverage during which stability has been maintained, and this track record instills confidence. This trust extends to Saudi Arabia’s ambitious 2030 plan, which emphasizes cybersecurity, educational reforms, and global integration despite the prevailing regional instability.

The progress of reforms and the 2030 vision in Saudi Arabia has seen remarkable transformation over the past seven years. Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision encompasses various reforms aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth and promoting peace and justice. However, there are concerns about the continuity of the 2030 plan amidst the regional uncertainty.

In conclusion, the increased participation of high-level officials in the Global Cybersecurity Forum highlights the importance of secure cyberspace for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The country recognizes the significance of addressing cybersecurity in the Global South, emphasizing collaboration and a global perspective. Despite regional unrest, there is trust in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States to maintain stability. The progress of reforms and the 2030 vision in Saudi Arabia has shown significant transformation, although questions remain about the plan’s continuity in the face of regional uncertainty.

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir

This analysis focuses on the various topics discussed by H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity, global cooperation, and the future of Saudi Arabia. It underscores the significance of collaboration, international cooperation, and global stability in addressing various global challenges.

One of the main points emphasised in the analysis is the critical role that cybersecurity plays in both local and global prosperity. It is highlighted that cybersecurity impacts every aspect of life, including education and the economy. The argument presented is that cybersecurity is essential for both local and global prosperity. The supporting facts for this argument include the assertion that Saudi Arabia is a major player in the international system, and its success affects global stability.

Another main point discussed is the need for global cooperation to solve world challenges. The argument put forth is that challenges such as climate change and pandemics affect everyone, regardless of their country or religion, and that success in facing these challenges depends on global cooperation and transparency. The sentiment towards this point is positive, and supporting facts include the statement that challenges like climate change and pandemics impact the entire world, and thus, a cooperative approach is necessary.

The future of Saudi Arabia is another significant topic discussed, with an emphasis on diversification and empowerment. The argument made is that the future of Saudi Arabia depends on diversifying the economy and empowering women and youth. Vision 2030, a plan to transform Saudi Arabia by diversifying the economy and empowering women and youth, is referenced as a means to achieve this. Moreover, it is mentioned that the country seeks to attract both domestic and international investments.

Additionally, the analysis highlights the vital role that Saudi Arabia can play as a bridge builder between China and the United States. The supporting facts state that Saudi Arabia has strategic relations with the United States and that China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner. The sentiment towards this point is positive.

The analysis also acknowledges the necessity for a transition from confrontation to cooperation and a shift from competition to a sum-sum game in which all parties benefit. The sentiment towards this point is neutral, and the supporting facts suggest that the international system is better served when the two largest economies, the U.S. and China, cooperate and avoid confrontation.

Another topic discussed is the need for scientific, rational, and logical approaches to addressing climate change and cybersecurity issues, rather than being emotional and hypocritical. The sentiment towards this point is negative, and the argument posits that it is essential to approach these issues using scientific reasoning and rationality. The supporting facts mention the history of climate change discussions and cybersecurity resolutions.

Furthermore, the analysis highlights the pressing need for quick agreements on cybersecurity definitions, dangers, and international conventions. The argument suggests that multilateral cooperation should be accelerated to counter cyber threats. The supporting facts state that cyber issues relate to extremism recruitment, child pornography, money laundering, and the compromise of critical institutions.

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir is mentioned as viewing the establishment of a center for cybersecurity as beneficial. The supporting facts suggest that the center will play a critical role in highlighting the importance of dealing with cybersecurity, formulating effective measures, and facilitating the global exchange of ideas.

The importance of cybersecurity is further reiterated, with the assertion that it should rank among the top three policy issues. This sentiment is supported by the mention of common reliance on internet access for essential needs and a comparison of cybersecurity with the rising concern for climate change.

The analysis also emphasizes the necessity of global cooperation to combat cyber threats. It highlights the need for a cooperative way forward, as exclusivity does not benefit anyone.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies is also discussed. It is stated that the speed of technological development and the emergence of new technologies is outpacing our ability to regulate and secure them. The sentiment towards this point is concerned, and the argument suggests that there is a need for transparency and regulation in AI and cybersecurity to avoid confusion and chaos. The supporting facts mention the potential for AI to create simulations of real people saying things they didn’t and the possibility of misrepresenting world leaders.

The analysis also highlights the importance of finding global solutions to cyber protection, particularly for the Global South. It mentions that the world is moving towards globalization and that no single country can solve global problems alone. The sentiment towards this point is positive.

Furthermore, the analysis emphasizes the significance of global collaboration and interconnectedness. It mentions Saudi Arabia’s focus on connecting itself with the world and participating in reciprocal learning, allowing for better understanding, trade, investment, and cultural exchange. The sentiment towards this point is positive.

The stability of Saudi Arabia amidst regional disturbances is also emphasized, with the sentiment being positive. It is mentioned that Saudi Arabia has been consistent in its progress and reforms, regardless of regional unrest.

The participation of Saudi Arabia in global institutions, such as the G20 and BRICS, and the hosting of global events like the World Cup, is also highlighted. The sentiment towards this point is positive, and the argument suggests that there is no contradiction between participating in global institutions and hosting global events.

The analysis further underscores the importance of increased cooperation among nations, leading to better understanding, trade, investment, and cultural exchange. It states that Saudi Arabia is participating in global forums to build bridges and that increased understanding leads to global stability and prosperity.

Lastly, the analysis emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining trust in societal systems, particularly in areas such as e-commerce, aviation, and vital infrastructure like power and water systems. The sentiment towards this point is positive, and the argument asserts the significance of trust in maintaining societal stability.

In conclusion, the analysis highlights the importance of cybersecurity, global cooperation, and the future of Saudi Arabia. It emphasizes the need for transparency and regulation in AI and cybersecurity, as well as the necessity for global solutions to cyber protection. The analysis also underscores the significance of maintaining trust in societal systems and the role of education and awareness. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of collaboration, international cooperation, and global stability in addressing various global challenges.

Moderator – John Defterios:
His Excellency Adel Al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Council of Ministries, and Envoy of Climate Affairs, Saudi Arabia, John Defterios, Moderator, former CNN, Emerging Markets, Editor and Anchor. Good morning, everybody. It’s nice to see such a terrific turnout. Your Excellency the Governor, it’s great to start the second day here with such a distinguished guest. It’s great to see you. His Excellency Adel Al-Jubeir is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He’s a climate envoy and a member of the Cabinet of Ministers. We’re going to do a 25-minute session looking at creating a cyberspace for all that’s secure, the urgency in which to do so, and then the nexus at which climate discussions and cyberspace meet. And I would add also our reaction as a global community, Your Excellency, to the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, it was every state for itself, and then towards the end of that process, it became very collective. But how do we get cyberspace and that collective space to begin with? Your Excellency, we were discussing in the Green Room beforehand that the GCF Institute was established by royal decree in 2023, which is quite a landmark. And I think geographically and strategically, and Saudi Arabia being the largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa by a wide margin, also provides an opportunity to build momentum and a consensus, which I’d like to give to. He didn’t hear the formal welcome, but let’s give him a nice Riyadh welcome to His Excellency Adel Al-Jubeir.

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Moderator – John Defterios:
I think, and we cannot overlook this, but I think it’s incredibly important to see someone at your strategic level within the government and wearing the hat as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the Climate Envoy, and so active within the Cabinet of Ministers, to be at the GCF. What does it tell us, first and foremost, about the importance of a secure cyberspace for all in the kingdom because of critical infrastructure, but also for this region in the Middle East and North Africa, which we have to say is going through convulsions now because of conflict? What does it say about the role of cyberspace in that security apparatus, would you say?

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
It’s very – well, first of all, thank you for having me, everybody. It’s great to be here. It’s extremely important. When you look at cyber, you look at – it impacts every aspect of our life, from education, from paying our bills, from acquiring information. I mean, you name it, it’s linked to it. And ensuring that we have a functioning, secure system that allows us to operate efficiently is very important to us personally, to the economy, and to the global economy. Saudi Arabia is a major player in the international system. We are the largest exporter of oil. We are one of the largest investors in the global economy. We are custodians of the two holy mosques. We have influence and access and throughout the Muslim world, 1.7 billion people pray in the direction of Mecca five times a day. We are geographically located between three continents, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Three of the most important waterways in the world are right next to us, the Straits of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab, the Suez Canal. So we are connected to the world, and the world is connected to us. What happens in the international system has a direct impact on Saudi Arabia and vice versa, whether negative or positive. So it is critically important for us that we have a stable, functioning, prosperous international system. That’s how we prosper. When you look at our Vision 2030, the objective of it is to ensure that we are an active player in the international system by transforming our country, diversifying our economy, empowering youth, empowering women. And in order to do so, we need to have an efficient and transparent public sector. We have to have new areas of investment, whether it’s mining, whether it’s tourism, whether it’s recreation, whether it’s entertainment, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, all of these. And in order to have those, we have to have a world-class education system, and we have to have a world-class healthcare system, and we have to have the ability to attract investments both domestic and international. So all of this is part of our package Vision 2030, and we are much better able to achieve our objectives if the international system is stable and secure. And the stability of cyber is critical to this, and the establishment of this center is one means for Saudi Arabia to contribute to making the cyber world more stable and more secure, and also to connecting the world and acting as a bridge between different countries and between different regions in order to have a cooperative approach rather than a competitive approach. We cannot deal with the challenges of our world, whether it’s cybersecurity, whether it’s climate change, whether it’s pandemics, unless we work together. One country cannot do it alone. When it comes to climate issues, rising temperatures do not avoid one country because it’s doing something. It impacts all of us, and so all of us have to work together in order to deal with it. When you look at pandemics, the virus doesn’t distinguish between Muslim and Christian and Jew and Buddhist. It doesn’t distinguish between American and Saudi and German. We’re all the same. And unless and because we worked closely together as a global community with transparency, we were able to overcome this pandemic. The same with cybersecurity. One country cannot do it alone. We have to work together. We have to share information. We have to share expertise, experience, and we have to agree on common terminology in order to be able to deal with the challenges.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Great. Let me just delve into that a little bit more. Geographically, as I mentioned in my opening comments, you straddle east and west and are, as you noted, very connected to Africa now, which is a great growth opportunity for the continent, but also, I think, for the heart of the Gulf here. But does it allow Saudi Arabia to serve that bridge between China and the U.S., which is competing in technology, right, but you want them to compete on fair grounds and also have a dialogue and also work together for a secure cyberspace, specifically because of the Global Cybersecurity Forum and now being an institute? What role can it play as a bridge builder?

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
It can play whatever role it needs to play. It’s very important that we switch confrontation to cooperation, and it’s important that we switch competition from being a zero-sum game to being a sum-sum game where everybody benefits. Saudi Arabia has strategic relations with the United States. China is our largest trading partner. Both relations will continue to grow and prosper. The international system is better served when there is cooperation between the two largest economies, where the international system is not served when there is confrontation, and I believe both sides want to avoid any kind of confrontation. And Saudi Arabia’s role is to work with everybody to try to create a cooperative environment in which everybody benefits.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Good. As a climate envoy, you’re very knowledgeable about the process. My journalistic coverage started in 1992 with the Rio Accord, and yours predates that in terms of the history of the COP process. How do we avoid the missteps of having two distinct camps in the COP process? And we’ve learned post-pandemic that the energy system of today can’t be shut off and you start the energy system of tomorrow, and we don’t want that slow process to filter in to the cyber community. Can you make that comparison what we should avoid as landmines, if you will?

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
I think the most important thing is to be scientific and rational and logical about dealing with issues and not emotional. We see a lot of emotions when it comes to climate change discussions, and we frankly see a lot of hypocrisy, and that doesn’t serve anyone. We have a problem. We need to fix the problem. The temperatures are not coming down. The air is not becoming cleaner. And no matter how much we argue, we need to roll up our sleeves, work together to solve the problems in a rational and effective manner, and we need to do it quickly. I believe with the climate discussions started essentially with the Stockholm Conference in 1972, where the issue of the environment was put on the agenda. And then it took another two decades until we had the Rio summit, Earth Summit, which focused on climate change and the dangers of climate change. Then we had Kyoto. Then we had the Paris summit, which was a small miracle that countries agreed on the path forward and the need to limit rising temperatures. And then we’ve had the subsequent COP meetings. It’s moving towards a more rational discussion, but it’s taken almost 50 years, and that’s too long when it comes to cyber security. Cyber security, the issue of dealing with cyber began really in 1998 at the United Nations. The first resolution with regards to a governmental working group was passed in 2003. That’s 20 years ago. We still have a way to go. I think it’s important that we agree we need to move very quickly because technology is moving much faster. We need to agree on the terms that we, how we define things so that we know what we’re talking about. We need to agree on where the dangers are, and we need to work very quickly in those areas. We have problems with, in terms of the internet, with recruitment for extremism. We have problems with child pornography. We have problems with crime, whether it’s money laundering, whether it’s extortion. Even things as simple as bullying, you can have somebody, one end of the world bullying somebody on the other end of the world. How do you stop it? How do you criminalize it, and how do you prosecute these individuals? We need international conventions for these, and we need them quickly. And we need to deal with other issues that involve cyber. I think the most important thing is agreeing on definitions, agreeing on areas that need to be addressed, coming up with legal mechanisms to counter those areas, exchanging information with regards to how people take advantage of cyber in order to commit crimes, and what is the most effective way of dealing with it. We need to exchange information with regards to the type of viruses that people try to use to damage other institutions. We need to protect the functioning of critical institutions to countries that really have banks, power plants, hospitals, traffic lights. These are important things for day-to-day life, and I think those are areas that should not be as sensitive to national governments as issues that directly relate to national security. So we should be able to find ways of moving forward. I’m hopeful that people recognize the dangers, and that they recognize that multilateral efforts are complicated, they take a long time, but they recognize that the need is urgent and we need to find a way to speed it up. And I believe the center that is established will have a critically important role to play in highlighting the importance of dealing with the challenge of cyber security and coming up with the most effective ways of addressing it and being a platform for people from around the world, as we’ve seen yesterday, to come and exchange ideas and come up, identify problems, and point out certain pathways forward that will help us overcome those problems.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Yes, if you look at today, and this emerged last week at the FII when they did a poll, it’s very interesting what you said about the trust of a system and the quality of life. So they polled the participants and they said quality of life is essential as a number one issue. The threat of inflation and the cost of living was second on that list. Third on the list for those that were a bit older like us was climate, right? And then the youth said, oh, climate is at the top of the category for them because they’re very fearful of the future. Where does cyberspace, a secure cyberspace, which is not in the front and center of our consciousness, but should it belong in the top five in terms of policy and maintaining trust and government collaboration or not?

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
Absolutely, it should be in the top three, if not top two. How many times do you complain when you arrive in a country and you turn on your cell phone and you don’t have internet access? And this is just because of the systems, not because somebody fiddled with it. So how would you feel if you woke up one day and you’re shut out from the world? You can’t access your bank accounts. You can’t access your medical records. You can’t communicate with your doctor. It has a profound impact on your life and on your quality of life. We’re used to things today that were unthinkable 30 years ago or 20 years ago, and we take them for granted. And I think with climate, I mentioned the Stockholm Conference in 1972. Nobody was paying attention to the environment. They thought the environment was picking up trash, but now they see rising temperatures and they see more dust storms and they see more hurricanes and they see rising water levels and they say, oh my goodness, this is having an impact on my life and the life of my children and grandchildren. With cyber, we are now in that phase where people are becoming cognizant of the problem. But heaven forbid, hopefully we never get there, but if you had a shutdown, then people will say this is the number one priority. We need to deal with it. So to your question, it is a critically important issue and I think it ranks right up there with climate change, pandemics, and cyber. I think these are the three critical issues that we face as a global community and we have to pay attention to it and we have to come up with a cooperative way forward because being exclusive or not being cooperative doesn’t help anyone.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Okay, the other thing I was gonna ask you about was there’s an AI conference running in parallel with the Global Cyber Security Forum and President Biden signed an AI executive order saying that we need to have greater transparency and testing by the private sector in collaboration with government. His first executive order when it came to technology was on cyber security four months into office. Does that give us this opportunity to link the opportunity and threat of AI and have it dovetail with policy around cyber security? Because many fear that AI’s gonna move so far in advance that it’ll test the cyber security networks of the world. How do you see that and the actions by the US to put this high on the radar?

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
I think it has to be when you have the ability to take you and have you come out and say things that you didn’t say with real credibility. Imagine if you had world leaders issuing statements that have nothing to do with reality, that they had nothing to do with. What kind of confusion does it create in terms of global financial markets, in terms of perceptions, in terms of it can be chaotic. It will be chaotic, not can be. And so it’s important that we deal with all of these issues. And the challenge with cyber, I believe, and I’m not a technical person, so forgive me if I’m off here, but the way I see it is it’s moving so quickly that we need to catch up with it. And when you think you have a handle on something, something else emerges. And so it’s important that we try to stay ahead of the curve, although I don’t believe we are, but we need to find a way to at least keep up with the changes so that we don’t have miscalculations that happen because of misinformation that we believe to be correct information.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Great. We talked about the COVID-19 pandemic briefly, and I mentioned it in my opening remarks and during the opening panel yesterday, the initial reactions, I have to protect my citizenry, and I wasn’t thinking of the global community. And that also pertains to the Global South when it comes to a secure cyberspace for women, for development, for collaboration. How do we take a role here, a global look at solving this for the Global South? Because as you said, the pandemic crosses boundaries, right? But the same thing could be said in cyberspace. And how does Saudi Arabia see that necessity for the Global South to be protected, if you will, as they develop? Because there’s a great growth opportunity at our doorstep.

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
I think we need to step back and look at the large picture. And what we see is the world moving towards globalization. Everybody talks about it. But the fact is we’re one unit, a small planet. Globalization, in your view, is not dead then. You can reset. It’s, we live on one small planet. And what happens in one end of the planet affects people on the other end of the planet, whether it’s a pandemic, whether it’s climate change, whether it’s cyber. And the solutions to these problems and these challenges have to be global. One country cannot go it alone. So it’s not a, I don’t, I think the world has to move from us versus them, or one section of the world versus another, to we’re all in this together. And when you look at Saudi Arabia, for example, or Vision 2030, part of it, a major part of it is connecting Saudi Arabia with the world and connecting the world with Saudi Arabia. We have sent more than 500,000 of our young men and women to study around the world over the past 15 years or so. Over the past 40 or 50 years, numbers are much higher. And the objective is not only to acquire education, but to learn about the world and for the world to learn about them. Because when you, when they come back and we see it now in the energy and the dynamism that we have in Saudi Arabia, people are connected. They’re aware of the world. They’re aware of their role in the world. And they’re aware of the importance of dealing with the world. We’re proud of our national identity. We’re proud of who we are, but we recognize that we are part of the global community and that the community as a whole has to come together to deal with the challenges that we face, whether it’s cyber, whether it’s climate change, or whether it’s pandemics.

Moderator – John Defterios:
I would love to ask you your thoughts on the continuity of the 2030 plan. And when we have regional unrest like we have it today, how the GCC can remain stable and that vision 2030 on track. Many would probably question, can you continue with the reforms? Can you continue with progress when there’s regional uncertainty? My history after 35 years of covering it is that people have trust in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States to remain stable. Can you address that, do you think, in this context of trying to create a secure cyberspace? Because the transformation in seven years has been phenomenal. And people want to know if it’s on track and stays on track.

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
We have an objective. We have a whole of government and a whole of society approach towards achieving that objective. We have exceeded most of the benchmarks for that objective. We will continue to pursue that objective because that’s in the interest of our nation. And so we will do this. And we will deal with other challenges as they come up. But it will not deter Saudi Arabia from continuing on its path of progress and reform and implementation of its vision 2030. And our record speaks for itself. Saudi Arabia has been, the Saudi state was first established in 1727. We’re talking more than 300 years ago. And before that, there was a state in Darayya for several centuries. We have seen the coming and passing of many storms in our region. And we have been determined and steadfast and consistent in our movement forward. You will not find, in the history of Saudi Arabia, zigzagging or backtracking. We set an objective, we work towards it, and we achieve it. And then we set another objective and we are fully determined to continue along this path. And we are fully determined to make Saudi Arabia a very dynamic and very efficient and a very prosperous and very stable society as we have been doing for decades.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Great. Final question is, as a member of the G20, the expanded BRICS, which Saudi Arabia joins in 2024, hosting a World Cup in 2034, how do we make sure that globalization and these institutions don’t compete against each other, where the G20 and the BRICS collaborate, they take that collaboration into the UN structure? And I didn’t want to interrupt you, but.

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
No, it’s all connected. We don’t see any contradictions between them. I think the global sports events are very exciting. They bring people together. We’re very excited about hosting the World Cup in 2034. Hopefully you will come and you and I can watch the final game with Saudi Arabia in it. We have a, we believe that the G20 is a forum for countries to come together. With regards to BRICS, Saudi Arabia received an invitation. And we think that we don’t see contradiction between one and the other. We think that the more countries can build bridges with each other, the better understanding you have, the more cooperation you have, the more trade and investment, the more exchange of cultures and people, the better it is for all sides concerned. And we think this is what will contribute to global stability, which opens the path for global prosperity.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Good. Your call to the audience, you know, there’s a lot of trust that’s built in society because our systems work. And these people actually work really hard to make sure that that trust remains, right? If you’re doing, as you suggested, e-commerce, or if you’re flying, the critical infrastructure for power and for water systems. What’s the call to action here for this audience as we conclude our second day later this afternoon?

H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir:
Keep doing what you’re doing and make sure that you educate everybody around you, in particular somebody like me who is not very tech savvy, because what you’re doing is critically important, not only to Saudi Arabia, but to the world. And I think the center will have to, will play a very important role, I have no doubt, in bringing the world together and in making the world a better place and a more stable place. So keep up the good work.

Moderator – John Defterios:
Good. Can we give a nice round of applause for His Excellency Adele Al-Jubeir. Thank you very, very much. Thank you. Nicely done. Thank you very much. We’ll exit here. Thanks, we’ll get the microphone in the back off. Just go to your left, yeah.