UAE greenlights AWS cloud, critics warn of backdoors
The United Arab Emirates government launched a specialized cloud platform on Monday with Amazon Web Services and telecommunications provider e& that allows agencies and regulated businesses to operate digital systems while meeting national security standards. The service targets organizations in healthcare, finance, education, energy and other sectors that handle sensitive information.
Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, who heads cybersecurity for the UAE government and chairs the Cybersecurity Council, said the platform enables faster deployment of advanced technologies while maintaining compliance with domestic data protection rules. The system hosts operations inside the AWS Middle East region with e& enterprise managing technical oversight. Organizations can run most workloads except those carrying secret or top secret classifications.
Khalid Murshed, chief executive at e& enterprise, noted the platform combines regulatory adherence with zero-trust security architecture. Tanuja Randery from AWS Europe, Middle East and Africa operations emphasized the collaboration supports the nation’s digital goals through combining global infrastructure with local regulatory knowledge. The service became available immediately following its initial announcement in May and aligns with the country’s broader We the UAE 2031 development framework.
