Saudi Arabia Signs Tech and Security Pacts With Pakistan and Austria

The Government of Saudi Arabia expanded its international technology network on September 2, 2026, by signing a series of agreements with Pakistan and Austria during the LEAP 2026 Conference in Riyadh.

Saudi officials and Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, reached two separate agreements. The first focuses on artificial intelligence, data governance, and emerging technologies to expand Pakistan's digital economy. The second is a memorandum of understanding on cybersecurity aimed at protecting cyberspace and exchanging expertise to counter digital threats. These pacts follow recent diplomatic momentum, including an agreement to increase Pakistani agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia to $3 billion over two years.

Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia launched a comprehensive digital partnership with Austria to align Austrian digital sovereignty goals with Saudi Vision 2030. Led by State Secretary Alexander Pröll, the initiative establishes a Digitalization Working Group with the Saudi Ministry of Investment and a joint AI pilot project for digital governance. The partnership has already triggered commercial negotiations between the Austrian company AVL List GmbH and ACWA Power for a sustainable aviation fuels pilot plant. Future cooperation will extend to quantum computing and sustainable mobility.