ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cybersecurity cooperation during the recently held LEAP 2026 tech conference in Riyadh, the Pakistani IT ministry said on Monday.
LEAP is Saudi Arabia’s flagship technology and innovation conference held once every year. The conference ran from Aug. 31st to Sept. 3 this year and brought together more than 1,800 technology brands, 600 startups and 1,900 investors.
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja concluded a “successful” visit to LEAP 2026, the IT ministry said in a statement, where she delivered a keynote address and led a Pakistani delegation at the event that showcased digital talent, innovation and attracted “significant investment.”
“A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), aimed at strengthening bilateral cybersecurity cooperation through the exchange of expertise and best practices to address emerging cyber threats,” the statement added.
The IT ministry said Khawaja held a series of bilateral meetings with officials at LEAP 2026. These included Saudi Arabia’s IT and Communications Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha, Dr. Noureddine Ouadah, the Algerian minister of knowledge economy, startups and microenterprise; Bae Kyung-Hoon, the minister of science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and the secretary general of the Digital Cooperation Organization, Deemah AlYahya, among others.
Khawaja formally inaugurated the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion during her visit, the ministry said. The pavilion featured 25 startups and over 50 leading Pakistani tech companies showcasing solutions in AI, automation and digital technologies.
“Pakistan’s participation in LEAP 2026 aimed to facilitate B2B partnerships, attract international investment and expand global market access for the country’s technology sector,” the statement added.
‘CONCRETE OUTCOMES’
The IT ministry said the event delivered “concrete outcomes” for some Pakistani startups. It said OfficeFlow AI, a Pakistani business automation platform, signed an Incubation Partnership Agreement with Dhahran Techno Valley (DTV), one of Saudi Arabia’s leading tech ecosystems.
The agreement focuses on developing and scaling an AI-powered business automation platform across the region. The ministry said OfficeFlow AI also signed a deal with MIS Arabia, a major Saudi technology services company serving clients such as Aramco.
Meanwhile Edversity, an Ignite-supported startup under the Pakistani IT ministry, secured a $400,000 investment from Rapidev Group at LEAP 2026 to accelerate its international expansion and scale its AI-powered education platform.
Pakistan has sought to increase its tech cooperation with Saudi Arabia recently, as its tech exports grow. Pakistan’s technology exports reached a record $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2026, according to the Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA).
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has emerged as an increasingly important market for technology companies as the Kingdom pours investments into digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and other sectors under its Vision 2030 economic diversification program.
