Doha, Qatar: Barzan Holdings has announced the launch if its first cyber security training program in Qatar, in collaboration with the National Service Authority. The announcement results from a series of agreements between the two parties, of which some were revealed to the public during the Doha Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2018), and a group of National Service recruits have been selected to participate in the program as a requirement of their military training.

The cyber security training program began on Sunday 25 March and will last for 15 days, with a total of 120 training hours using specialized cyber security hardware and software. The training course was designed in collaboration with Barzan Holdings’ strategic partner Raytheon, recognized as a global leader in military technology and cyber security.

The project aims to enable participants to understand the basics of cyber security and the latest technology in this field, enhancing their ability to address potential risks and future threats. The recruits will then transfer their knowledge and experience gained to their workplaces across different sectors. As this is the first time that civilians have been trained in this area of cyber security, the National Service Authority was selected to conduct the initial stage of the project. Barzan Holdings is currently working on expanding its role in cyber security to develop unified national mechanisms and methods to identify, reduce and neutralize potential cyber security threats, and opening up cyber security training in the future to a larger number of trainees in both the military and civilian fields. 

Barzan Holdings CEO Mohammed Mubarak Al Khater said; “Cyber security is one of Barzan Holdings’ most critical projects to enhance the defensive capabilities of various sectors in Qatar, and Barzan Holdings will be able to benefit from our strategic partnerships with leading international companies in this field.” He added: "The training program will greatly benefit the recruits by raising awareness of the importance of cyber security and how to deal with it, and they will be able to transfer their knowledge to other people in their workplace." 

Head of the National Service Authority, Commander Saeed Hamad Al Nuaimi said: "We are continuously developing a series of professional National Service training programs by designing specialized courses that take into account all military and security aspects. Cyber security is one of the most vital aspects of security and it is a top priority in order to train a generation of Qataris that are able to defend our borders and assets.” Cyber security is one of the latest and most critical technologies to emerge in recent years for many stakeholders. Cyber security protects corporate and organizations’ databases – especially large ones - from hacking and other damaging activities, and a substantial amount resources and budget are being devoted to ensure that these databases are protected.  

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About Barzan Holdings

Barzan Holdings was established in 2016 as a limited liability company headquartered at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) and is 100% owned by Qatar’s Ministry of Defence.

Leading the concept behind Barzan Holdings, and its future direction is H.E. Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs. Barzan Holdings is led day-to-day by its Managing Director Mr. Nasser Hassan Al Naimi and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mohammed Mubarak A. E. Al Khater.

Barzan Holdings is responsible for empowering the military capabilities of the Qatari Armed Forces. This will be achieved by partnering with leading international companies and organizations in the defence field.

Acting as a commercial gateway for the defence industry in Qatar, Barzan Holdings is open for business and provides opportunities for international companies to collaborate on R&D, facilitate knowledge transfer and create innovative defence and security technologies.

© Press Release 2018