Laos signs MoUs with UAE partners to launch ASEAN Digital & AI Centre and strengthen cybersecurity
VIENTIANE, February 11, 2026 - The government has signed two agreements with businesses in the United Arab Emirates to lay the groundwork for an ASEAN Digital and Artificial Intelligence Centre and to reinforce cybersecurity tied to the country's digital financial ecosystem.
Deputy Prime Minister Mr Saleumxay Kommasith witnessed the signings during the World Government Summit 2026 in Dubai. The deals mark a practical step to make online services and transactions safer for citizens and businesses.
What was signed
The first Memorandum of Understanding authorises cooperation to establish the ASEAN Digital and Artificial Intelligence Centre. It was signed between the Ministry of Technology and Communications and Menas Capital LLC. The Centre is expected to support AI-driven innovation, build technical skills, and help Laos keep pace with regional and global digital trends.
The second agreement is a Strategic MoU on cybersecurity and the digital financial ecosystem, signed by the Ministry of Finance and the Kaspersky Middle East Group. It aims to strengthen national cybersecurity systems and enable safer digital financial services as online transactions and platforms see wider use in Laos.
Why this matters for government
These partnerships give Laos a clear path to upgrade digital infrastructure, reduce cyber risk, and improve delivery of public services. They also deepen ties with the United Arab Emirates as both countries mark 30 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
Immediate actions agencies can take
- Map critical systems and data flows that could integrate with the planned ASEAN Centre (e.g., digital ID, e-services, payments, customs).
- Set a unified cybersecurity baseline for ministries and SOEs: asset inventory, patch cadence, MFA, privileged access, and continuous monitoring.
- Prioritise high-value pilots that prove impact fast: fraud detection for digital payments, AI-assisted citizen service desks, and document processing.
- Stand up a joint incident response playbook with clear escalation paths across ministries and the financial sector.
- Draft procurement guidelines for AI and cybersecurity solutions covering data residency, auditability, vendor lock-in, and exit terms.
- Launch a skills pipeline: short courses for executives on risk and governance; hands-on labs for practitioners in SOC, threat intel, and model risk.
- Align with regional standards to ensure interoperability and cross-border data safeguards where required by law.
Milestones to track in the next 12-24 months
- Signed implementation roadmap with Menas Capital LLC and initial workstreams (training, pilots, infrastructure).
- Operational upgrades at national SOC and sectoral CERTs, with measurable mean-time-to-detect/respond improvements.
- Launch of 2-3 secure digital finance pilots with Kaspersky Middle East Group support (e.g., transaction monitoring, eKYC hardening).
- Government-wide AI and cybersecurity training completions, tied to roles and competencies.
- Published governance guardrails for AI use in public services, including data protection and human oversight.
- Regular joint exercises testing cyber incident readiness across finance, telecoms, and key public services.
Skills and training
Both agreements emphasise people, not just tools. Build role-based learning paths that upskill executives, policy leads, IT owners, and frontline operators-then tie completions to deployment timelines so skills arrive before systems go live.
If you are cataloguing practical training options by function, see curated pathways by job here: Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
Context
The signings took place alongside the World Government Summit 2026 in Dubai, a forum focused on public-sector innovation and cooperation. More on the summit: World Government Summit.
Officials say these agreements set a firm base for safer business transactions and modern state administration, while strengthening national capacity in digital technology, cybersecurity, and related fields.
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