Core42, a G42 group company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE government’s Cyber Security Council to develop the Signature Sovereign AI Cloud. The partnership aims to protect national data and secure sensitive and top-secret government operations.
- Strategic partnership to secure digital sovereignty
- MoU signed at GISEC Global 2026
- Protecting national data and top-secret operations
- Knowledge exchange and building national cyber capabilities
- Frequently asked questions
Strategic partnership to secure digital sovereignty
Core42, a leading G42 group company specializing in artificial intelligence solutions and sovereign cloud computing, has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the UAE government’s Cyber Security Council to develop the “Signature” sovereign AI cloud within the country. Under this agreement, both parties will leverage Core42’s advanced technical solutions alongside a highly sophisticated infrastructure specifically designed to meet national sovereignty requirements and protect digital assets.
This institutional collaboration comes amid the rapid expansion of government entities and regulated economic sectors using cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies for increasingly critical and sensitive operational processes. This requires secure digital environments that guarantee the protection of national data, clearly define control, monitoring, and operational mechanisms, and meet the highest approved security standards.
MoU signed at GISEC Global 2026
The memorandum of understanding was officially signed during the Gulf Information Security Exhibition and Conference (GISEC Global 2026), in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the Cyber Security Council for the UAE Government, and Talal Al Kaissi, CEO of Core42.
This qualitative alliance brings together the regulatory and sovereign role of the Cyber Security Council in strengthening digital defenses and protecting cyberspace at the federal level, and the superior technological and engineering capabilities of Core42 in designing and deploying cloud solutions that support sovereign requirements.
Protecting national data and top-secret operations
The “Signature” sovereign AI cloud has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of ministries, agencies, and institutions that use cloud computing to execute operations classified as “secret” and “top-secret,” which inherently require exceptional levels of strict control over data, storage locations, and operating infrastructure.
The platform offers high technical flexibility supporting the hosting, training, and development of advanced AI models and applications locally without leaking any data outside the country’s sovereign borders. Core42 will work closely with the Council to establish technical standards and controls ensuring all applications comply with national requirements.
Knowledge exchange and building national cyber capabilities
The memorandum goes beyond infrastructure to include an integrated program for exchanging field expertise in cybersecurity, raising public and institutional awareness of emerging digital threats, and enhancing the defensive readiness of emergency response teams. This includes organizing specialized workshops, sessions, conferences, and training programs focusing on addressing cyber risks associated with generative artificial intelligence.
His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti stated: “As artificial intelligence becomes central to vital government operations, cybersecurity and sovereign operational requirements must be factored in from the early stages of systems development to ensure the protection of our data and cement digital trust.” Meanwhile, Talal Al Kaissi emphasized that “adopting artificial intelligence in government operations and national security requires decisive control over data and infrastructure, which this agreement translates into action.”
This strategic step solidifies the UAE’s position as a leading global hub for secure innovation and cloud sovereignty, enabling critical sectors to expand AI investments with complete confidence regarding the independence and security of the entire national ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
Question: What is the main objective of developing the Signature Sovereign Cloud?
Answer: To provide a secure national cloud computing environment to run artificial intelligence models and protect top-secret government data.
Question: Where was the memorandum of understanding between Core42 and the Cyber Security Council signed?
Answer: It was officially signed during the GISEC Global 2026 exhibition and conference in Dubai.
Question: What services does the memorandum of understanding include alongside infrastructure?
Answer: It includes technological knowledge exchange, building national competencies, and organizing workshops and training programs to counter emerging cyber risks.
