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MENA and Central Asian telecom stakeholders review policy and cybersecurity standards
MENA and Central Asian telecoms stakeholders came together at a roundtable during MWC Shanghai 2024 , the connectivity event in the Asia Pacific region . The session , Middle East and Central Asia ICT Policy and Governance Forum , took place and was moderated by the GSMA , bringing together regulators and operators from the Middle East , North Africa , and Central Asia .
More than 50 countries globally are investing in super-fast optical fibre networks and Giga broadband to handle the network demands from future technologies like AR , VR and high-definition streaming . This digital upgrade is crucial to support the development of the regional ICT industry while ensuring a smooth user experience .
Operators in the MENA region especially need to improve their optical fibre networks to ensure homes and offices have the speed and stability for these advancements .
The Cybersecurity Session focused on building a Telecom-Information Security
Aloysius Cheang , Chief Security Officer , Huawei Middle East and Central Asia
Management System , T-ISMS to manage current cybersecurity issues facing telcos globally . The session covered key topics such as the roles and responsibilities of telecom cybersecurity for various stakeholders , implementing holistic telecom cybersecurity with collaboration between stakeholders and how regulatory authorities can promote telecom cybersecurity .
Robust national network development strategies , aligned with visions and key industries , are crucial for MENA . The growing demand for advanced services necessitates network upgrades , vital for ambitious projects like Saudi Arabia ' s 10Gbs Society . Supportive policies from governments will incentivise carriers and enterprises to invest in infrastructure optimisation .
Lin Yanqing , Principal Consultant , Industry Policy Public and Government Affairs , Huawei Technologies , and Aloysius Cheang , Chief Security Officer , Huawei Middle East and Central Asia , reiterated that Huawei has taken a proactive approach to telecom cybersecurity standardisation .
The executives explained that Huawei works with the GSMA , the ITU , the 3GPP , and others , as well as through partnerships with security organisations and companies , to ensure the security of its customers and promote the healthy development of the mobile ecosystem . Huawei has passed NESAS , SCAS 2.0 evaluations for its 5G base station and NESAS audits for its RAN and core network , demonstrating the company ' s commitment to cybersecurity . The meeting also sought to promote the adoption of GSMA ' s Network Equipment Security Assurance Scheme , NESAS and Mobile Cybersecurity Knowledge Base , MCKB .
NESAS demonstrates how global collaborative efforts can address cybersecurity , offering a standardised assessment mechanism jointly defined by GSMA and 3GPP . It serves as a fundamental security baseline , developed in accordance with security standard guidelines pertaining to vendors ' product development and lifecycle processes .
NESAS is valuable to both operators and vendors and is intended to be used alongside other mechanisms to ensure network security throughout its lifecycle .
MCKB seeks to help stakeholders manage risks in the 5G ecosystem by providing essential insights for their risk management strategy and guidance covering best practices and risk mitigation measures . The framework offers clear instructions for taking step-by-step actions to build security assurance while considering the entire risk spectrum of mobile end-to-end networks .
It aims to enhance mobile security competencies and capabilities , strengthening the work of carriers , enterprises , oversight agencies , and regulators . p
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