UAE Intensifies Quantum-Ready Cybersecurity with National Coordination Effort

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 11-05-2026

4 min

The UAE is preparing for quantum computers that could crack today’s encryption.

CSC and ATRC agreed a coordinated national shift to quantum-safe security.

Tools include cryptographic libraries, Crypto Discovery Tool, and quantum key distribution.

Authorities stress acting now, not waiting for threats to materialise.

The strategy adds compliance testing, workforce training, and nationwide rollout plans.

The UAE is stepping up its preparations for a world where quantum computers could crack today’s encryption like it’s a bit of a faff. In Abu Dhabi, the Cyber Security Council (CSC) has signed a new agreement with the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and its entities, marking a significant move towards what officials describe as a coordinated national shift to quantum-safe security.

The deal, consolidated between the CSC and VentureOne, ATRC’s commercial arm, focuses on deploying advanced cybersecurity tools across the country. At the centre of this push are cryptographic libraries developed by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), QuantumGate’s Crypto Discovery Tool (CDT), and an entanglement-based quantum key distribution solution (EQKD) also developed by TII and commercialised by VentureOne.

If that sounds technical, well… it is. But the idea is straightforward. Today’s digital systems rely on encryption that could, in the future, be vulnerable to powerful quantum machines. The UAE doesn’t want to wait until that day arrives.

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwai, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, described preparing for quantum computing as a national priority. Strengthening cryptographic foundations now, he said, is essential to safeguard the country’s long-term digital infrastructure and ensure a coordinated migration to post-quantum cryptography.

H.E. Shahab Issa Abu Shahab, Director General of ATRC, made a similar point, noting that the shift to quantum-safe systems cannot wait for threats to materialise. The collaboration, he added, is about accelerating the deployment of sovereign technologies developed within the ATRC ecosystem and reinforcing digital resilience.

One of the standout pieces in this initiative is QuantumGate’s Crypto Discovery Tool. Developed in Abu Dhabi and tailored to the UAE National Cryptography Center’s requirements, CDT is designed to help organisations identify where and how cryptography is used across their systems. It supports inventory management and vulnerability assessments, giving both public and private sector entities a clearer roadmap for migration. According to Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII and QuantumGate, the platform offers a data-driven view of cryptographic readiness, helping organisations move forward with more confidence.

I’ve seen founders in MENA underestimate how tangled their tech stacks can be, especially when legacy systems are involved. Mapping cryptography across complex environments is no small job. So, in that sense, this structured, nationwide approach feels spot on. It’s not flashy, but it’s foundational.

Following a pilot phase, the CSC is also rolling out VentureOne’s entanglement-based quantum key distribution solution. EQKD uses quantum entanglement to generate highly secure encryption keys and has already been used to connect data centres at a major Abu Dhabi entity. The plan is to scale it across government and enterprise environments, alongside other post-quantum solutions.

At the core of the broader transition are the UAE’s national cryptographic libraries, developed and overseen by TII and commercialised by VentureOne. These libraries include both classical and post-quantum algorithms and are designed for integration into widely used government and enterprise systems. In simple terms, they act as the official cryptographic backbone for the country’s shift to quantum-resilient security.

Supporting this is TII’s Security Laboratory, one of the few facilities in the UAE dedicated to cryptographic compliance testing. The lab validates cryptographic assets against national regulatory requirements and approved standards, which is crucial when the goal is nationwide adoption rather than isolated pilots.

And believe it or not, the strategy goes beyond technology. The initiative also includes workforce training, readiness programmes and awareness campaigns aligned with international standards, including those developed by NIST. That human layer is often where things can slip through the cracks, and I’m not a fan of strategies that forget the people factor. Here, at least on paper, it looks like that lesson has been learned.

The UAE Cabinet originally formed the Cyber Security Council in 2020 to support safer digital transformation across the country. ATRC, for its part, is tasked with shaping Abu Dhabi’s research and development ecosystem through entities including ASPIRE, TII and VentureOne, covering fields from AI to quantum computing and robotics.

For founders and tech leaders across the region reading Arageek, this move sends a clear signal. Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue tucked away in the basement. It’s becoming a matter of national strategy, and, I reckon, a competitive advantage. The quantum era may still be emerging, but the groundwork for it is being laid now, piece by piece, even if the timeline is still a little unceratin.

🚀 Got exciting news to share?

If you're a startup founder, VC, or PR agency with big updates—funding rounds, product launches 📢, or company milestones 🎉 — AraGeek English wants to hear from you!