OIC Selects Riyadh to Host First Cybersecurity Council

The 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has approved the establishment of a dedicated OIC council of ministers of cybersecurity, following a formal proposal by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh selected to host both its general secretariat and executive office. The decision, announced via the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), marks a significant institutional expansion for the world’s second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations, and positions the Kingdom at the center of multilateral cyber governance for 57 member states. The new council will serve as the OIC’s primary reference for cybersecurity matters, comprising the cybersecurity authorities of member states and operating as a subsidiary body of the organization.

For an international audience tracking global digital policy, the move signals more than a bureaucratic restructuring. It reflects a broader realignment in which Saudi Arabia is converting domestic cybersecurity expertise into international institutional leadership. Riyadh already hosts the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF), the secretariat of the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council, and a recently established cybersecurity office affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The OIC decision adds a fourth pillar to that architecture, extending the Kingdom’s convening power from the Arab and global levels to the entire Islamic world. The timing, amid rising state-sponsored cyber threats and critical infrastructure attacks worldwide, underscores why member states coalesced around the Saudi proposal.

Context and Background

How did a regional proposal become a permanent OIC institution in a single ministerial session? The answer lies in a decade of sustained Saudi investment in cybersecurity capacity, diplomacy, and institutional hosting. The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), led by Governor Majed Al-Mazyed, has built a reputation for strategy, regulation, and incident response that predates the OIC decision. Saudi Arabia’s proposal was not an isolated diplomatic gesture but the logical extension of a track record that includes founding the GCF, supporting the creation of the Centre for Cyber Economics (CCE) in partnership with the World Economic Forum, and hosting regional and international cybersecurity entities on Saudi soil.

The OIC itself, established in 1969 and now representing 57 member states across four continents, has increasingly moved beyond traditional political and humanitarian mandates into technical and security cooperation. Its Council of Foreign Ministers remains the organization’s principal decision-making body, and its 52nd session became the venue for approving the cybersecurity council as a subsidiary body. The selection of Riyadh for the general secretariat and executive office follows a pattern in which OIC member states have entrusted Saudi Arabia with hosting roles for specialized bodies. Each of those bodies is headed by a representative of the host country, giving the Kingdom direct leadership over agenda-setting and implementation.

Governor Al-Mazyed framed the proposal in terms of shared vulnerability rather than narrow national interest. He noted that growing cyber threats worldwide pose risks to nations’ vital interests, critical infrastructure, priority sectors, and government services. That framing resonated because OIC member states span a wide range of digital maturity levels, from advanced economies with mature national cyber strategies to developing states still building basic incident response capabilities. A centralized ministerial council offers a platform where those disparities can be addressed through cooperation, training, and coordinated positions in international forums. The decision therefore reflects both Saudi initiative and genuine demand from member states for a collective mechanism.

Key Details of the New Council

What exactly will the OIC cybersecurity ministerial council do, and how will it operate? According to the SPA announcement, the council will strengthen cybersecurity across OIC member states, protect their vital interests and national security, deepen cooperation, and safeguard their interests in international organizations dealing with cybersecurity. It is established as a subsidiary body of the OIC and designated as the organization’s main reference for cybersecurity-related matters. Its general secretariat and executive office will be based in Riyadh, with each headed by a representative of the host country. The council will comprise the cybersecurity authorities of OIC member states, meaning its membership is technical and ministerial rather than ambassadorial.

Governor Al-Mazyed emphasized that the proposal came amid growing cyber threats that pose risks to nations’ vital interests, critical infrastructure, priority sectors, and government services and activities. He stressed the importance of strengthening cybersecurity across OIC member states as a key driver of economic growth, community well-being, and individual prosperity, as well as a fundamental pillar of international peace and security. That dual framing, cybersecurity as both an economic enabler and a security foundation, is central to how Saudi Arabia has positioned the issue domestically and internationally. It also explains why the council is expected to help strengthen cooperation among member states across various fields, not only in technical defense but also in policy, workforce development, and international advocacy.

Al-Mazyed expressed appreciation for the Saudi leadership’s strong support for the cybersecurity sector and thanked the members of the National Cybersecurity Authority’s Board of Directors, chaired by Minister of State and Cabinet Member Musaed Al-Aiban, for their continued attention and oversight. He also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in establishing regional and international cybersecurity entities, including the GCF and the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council, which was established following a Saudi proposal with Riyadh selected to host its secretariat and executive office. Other initiatives include the Centre for Cyber Economics, established through a partnership between the GCF and the World Economic Forum, and Riyadh’s recent hosting of the first cybersecurity office affiliated with UNITAR. Together, these form a coherent ecosystem that the new OIC council will complement rather than duplicate.

International and Regional Impact

Why does the location of a cybersecurity secretariat matter to countries far beyond the Middle East? Institutional hosting confers agenda-setting power, convening authority, and the ability to shape norms before they harden into international standards. By basing the OIC council’s general secretariat and executive office in Riyadh, member states have effectively recognized Saudi Arabia as a central node in Islamic-world cyber diplomacy. That recognition carries weight in global venues where cybersecurity norms are debated, including the United Nations and its specialized agencies. It also creates a practical hub where member states can coordinate positions, share threat intelligence, and develop joint capacity-building programs without relying on external intermediaries.

For regional powers and international partners, the decision signals that Saudi Arabia is prepared to lead on a technical issue that intersects with trade, energy security, and financial stability. The OIC’s 57 member states include major energy producers, emerging digital economies, and states with critical maritime and communications infrastructure. A coordinated cybersecurity posture across that group could reduce systemic risk in global supply chains and digital payments. Al-Mazyed said Riyadh’s selection reflects the Islamic world’s confidence in Saudi Arabia’s ability to lead international initiatives and projects and advance their strategic objectives. That confidence is not merely symbolic; it translates into expectations that the council will deliver concrete cooperation, from joint exercises to shared frameworks for protecting critical infrastructure.

Economic and Strategic Significance

How does cybersecurity connect to economic growth and national prosperity in the Saudi framing? Governor Al-Mazyed described strengthened cybersecurity across OIC member states as a key driver of economic growth, community well-being, and individual prosperity. That linkage is increasingly accepted in international economic policy: digital trust underpins investment, e-commerce, cloud adoption, and financial inclusion. Countries with weak cyber defenses face higher costs of capital, reduced investor confidence, and slower digital transformation. By elevating cybersecurity to a ministerial-level OIC council, member states are acknowledging that digital security is not a niche technical concern but a foundational condition for development.

The strategic significance for Saudi Arabia extends beyond the OIC. Hosting the council reinforces the Kingdom’s broader ambition to be a global hub for technology, innovation, and multilateral cooperation, a core theme of Vision 2030. It also complements Saudi Arabia’s growing role in mediating and convening across regions, from energy markets to diplomatic negotiations. The council’s Riyadh-based secretariat will likely interact with the GCF, the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council, the CCE, and the UNITAR office, creating a concentration of cyber expertise that few other capitals can match. For international companies and governments seeking a partner in the region, that concentration reduces transaction costs and clarifies where to engage.

Vision 2030 Alignment

Does the OIC decision advance Saudi Arabia’s long-term national transformation? Vision 2030 aims to diversify the economy, build a knowledge-based society, and position the Kingdom as a leader in technology and innovation. Cybersecurity is an enabling sector for all three goals. A secure digital environment attracts foreign investment, supports the growth of new industries, and protects the digital services that citizens and businesses rely on. By hosting the OIC cybersecurity council, Saudi Arabia strengthens its ability to shape international norms in a field where it has already demonstrated domestic capability through the National Cybersecurity Authority and its board, chaired by Minister of State Musaed Al-Aiban.

The decision also reflects the leadership’s sustained support for the cybersecurity sector, which Al-Mazyed acknowledged in his remarks. That support has translated into institutions, initiatives, and international partnerships that now form a platform for broader engagement with the Islamic world and beyond. As the council begins its work, the Kingdom’s role will be measured not only by hosting but by delivering cooperation that protects critical infrastructure, enables economic growth, and contributes to international peace and security. For an international audience, the message is clear: Saudi Arabia is not just participating in global cyber governance, it is helping to build it, with Riyadh as a permanent home for the OIC’s first cybersecurity ministerial council.

20 Questions

Q1. What did the 52nd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers approve?

A1. It approved the establishment of an OIC council of ministers of cybersecurity, following a proposal by Saudi Arabia. The council will serve as the organization’s main reference for cybersecurity matters and operate as a subsidiary body.

Q2. Where will the new council’s general secretariat and executive office be based?

A2. Both the general secretariat and the executive office will be based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Each will be headed by a representative of the host country, reinforcing the Kingdom’s central role in the council’s operations.

Q3. Who will make up the membership of the OIC cybersecurity ministerial council?

A3. The council will comprise the cybersecurity authorities of OIC member states. This means its membership is technical and ministerial, bringing together the officials responsible for national cyber policy and defense.

Q4. Who is the Governor of Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority?

A4. Majed Al-Mazyed serves as Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority. He presented Saudi Arabia’s proposal and commented on the decision, emphasizing the growing cyber threats facing nations worldwide.

Q5. What reasons did Saudi Arabia give for proposing the council?

A5. Governor Al-Mazyed said the proposal came amid growing cyber threats worldwide that pose risks to nations’ vital interests, critical infrastructure, priority sectors, and government services and activities, requiring collective action.

Q6. How does Saudi Arabia link cybersecurity to economic growth?

A6. Al-Mazyed described strengthened cybersecurity across OIC member states as a key driver of economic growth, community well-being, and individual prosperity, as well as a fundamental pillar of international peace and security.

Q7. What is the OIC’s position among intergovernmental organizations?

A7. The OIC is the world’s second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations, with 57 member states. Its Council of Foreign Ministers is its principal decision-making body.

Q8. What existing cybersecurity entities has Saudi Arabia helped establish?

A8. Saudi Arabia helped establish the Global Cybersecurity Forum and the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council, which followed a Saudi proposal with Riyadh hosting its secretariat and executive office. It also supports the Centre for Cyber Economics.

Q9. What is the Centre for Cyber Economics and who established it?

A9. The Centre for Cyber Economics was established through a partnership between the Global Cybersecurity Forum and the World Economic Forum. It focuses on the economic dimensions of cybersecurity policy and practice.

Q10. What recent United Nations-related cybersecurity office did Riyadh host?

A10. Riyadh recently hosted the first cybersecurity office affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). This adds to the Kingdom’s growing portfolio of international cyber institutions.

Q11. Who chairs the National Cybersecurity Authority’s Board of Directors?

A11. Minister of State and Cabinet Member Musaed Al-Aiban chairs the Board of Directors. Governor Al-Mazyed thanked the board members for their continued attention and oversight of the sector.

Q12. What does the council aim to protect across OIC member states?

A12. The council aims to strengthen cybersecurity, protect vital interests and national security, deepen cooperation, and safeguard member states’ interests in international organizations dealing with cybersecurity.

Q13. Why is Riyadh’s selection significant for the Islamic world?

A13. Al-Mazyed said it reflects the Islamic world’s confidence in Saudi Arabia’s ability to lead international initiatives and projects and advance their strategic objectives, strengthening cooperation among member states across various fields.

Q14. How does the new council relate to the OIC’s structure?

A14. The council is established as a subsidiary body of the OIC and designated as the organization’s main reference for cybersecurity-related matters, giving it a formal institutional place within the OIC system.

Q15. What role did Saudi leadership play in supporting the cybersecurity sector?

A15. Governor Al-Mazyed expressed appreciation for the Saudi leadership’s strong support for the cybersecurity sector, which has enabled the Kingdom to host regional and international entities and lead strategic initiatives.

Q16. What broader cooperation is expected to result from the council?

A16. The selection is expected to help strengthen cooperation among member states across various fields, including cybersecurity, according to Al-Mazyed. This includes policy coordination, capacity building, and joint responses to threats.

Q17. How does the council connect to international peace and security?

A17. Al-Mazyed described cybersecurity as a fundamental pillar of international peace and security. Protecting critical infrastructure and government services reduces the risk of destabilizing cyber incidents across borders.

Q18. What does the decision mean for international organizations dealing with cybersecurity?

A18. The council will safeguard OIC member states’ interests in international organizations dealing with cybersecurity, giving the Islamic world a coordinated voice in global norm-setting and policy discussions.

Q19. How does the OIC decision align with Saudi Vision 2030?

A19. It supports Vision 2030’s goals of economic diversification, knowledge-based development, and technological leadership. A secure digital environment attracts investment and protects the digital services underpinning the modern economy.

Q20. What is the expected next step for the new council?

A20. With the decision approved, the council will begin establishing its Riyadh-based general secretariat and executive office, headed by Saudi representatives, and will convene member state cybersecurity authorities to set its work program.

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