Cyber: EU and GCC hold their first 1.5 Track Dialogue on Cyber Diplomacy in Riyadh

On 1-2 October, representatives and experts from governments, academia, civil society and industry from the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the first 1.5 track dialogue on cyber diplomacy. 

The roundtable “Advancing Cross-Regional Cyber Cooperation for Stability and Security” allowed experts to exchange best practices on respective policy approaches.

They addressed issues such as the challenges and priorities in a dynamic cyber landscape, responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, confidence building measures, and enhancing accountability in cyberspace. The roundtable also explored how sustainable capacity-building efforts can be developed to support global and regional cyber resilience.

The roundtable was organised jointly by the European External Action Service, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Riyadh-based Global Cybersecurity Forum, and the EU Institute for Security Studies,

Background

The 1.5 track dialogue on cyber is a follow-up to the first EU-GCC Summit, held in October 2024 in Brussels, where leaders committed to establish high-level platform for cyber discussions. This platform brings together experts to build trust across both regions, share ideas and explore opportunities for cooperation on cyber security.