Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have strengthened their bilateral cooperation by establishing legal and procedural frameworks for secure cross-border personal data exchange, underscoring their joint commitment to cybersecurity and aligned data protection. The agreement, initially signed in September 2024, came into force following Qatar’s Decree No. 30 of 2025 on April 14, 2025.
The framework mandates compliance with both countries’ data protection laws and introduces protocols for consent, breach notification, and data destruction, with a focus on national security and law enforcement collaboration. While primarily targeting travel and transport authorities, the agreement also aims to bolster public trust in digital services and regional interoperability.
Commercially, the agreement is expected to drive integrated digital services between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, raising compliance standards for entities involved. Affected organizations will need to update data processing agreements and cybersecurity plans in line with the new requirements, with further guidance anticipated from Qatar’s Ministry of Interior and supervisory bodies.
This development complements a prior memorandum of understanding signed in April 2024 between Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority, which set the stage for cooperation on digital government initiatives, knowledge sharing, and capacity building.
Together, these agreements reflect a growing alignment on digital policy and governance between the two nations, offering public sector agencies and technology professionals a foundation for scalable, secure, and interoperable regional digital solutions.
