To facilitate this national strategy, Deloitte has established a Cloud Centre of Excellence (CCoE) in Lusail. According to the company, this center is built on three pillars: engineering sovereign and AI-ready cloud environments, industrializing the migration and modernization of applications, and upskilling the local workforce to manage these new platforms. This hybrid cloud model allows regional deployments and private cloud options, giving Qatari entities access to the R&D of global hyperscalers while maintaining compliance with national data laws.
The core of Qatar’s approach is a hybrid model that balances global technology access with local data control. This strategy aims to mitigate compliance, security, and strategic risks for organizations in highly regulated sectors. In what was described as one of the region’s most extensive cloud transformation programs, Deloitte reported its methodology helped in a project that involved classifying and migrating over 3,000 services and decommissioning more than 20,000 assets. The program also trained over 650 engineers and is working towards a synergy target valued at $130 million, all while navigating a complex regulatory environment.
The primary driver for Qatar’s sovereign cloud strategy is to build trust and guarantee data privacy for users of government and digital health services. According to Ziad Madhoun, a partner at Deloitte, providing a guarantee of privacy
encourages wider adoption of e-government services, digital banking, and smart city initiatives, which in turn strengthens the digital economy. The nation has proactively established data protection and cybersecurity frameworks to create a predictable and secure environment, aiming to attract investment from multinational technology firms and support local enterprises.
The source material does not specify which global cloud hyperscalers are participating in this hybrid strategy. Furthermore, details regarding the total government investment in the sovereign cloud initiative, a comprehensive timeline for its full implementation across all public sector entities, and the specific legislative acts governing the new cloud infrastructure are not provided.
The long-term focus of the initiative is on local capability building and knowledge transfer. The CCoE aims to cultivate a new generation of Qatari cloud and AI specialists who can lead future digital transformation projects independently. This goal aligns with the broader ambitions of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, which emphasizes the development of a knowledge-based economy. The strategy positions the nation to not just consume technology but to become a hub for digital innovation and expertise in the region.
Organizations and professionals operating in or with Qatar should take several steps in response to this evolving digital landscape.
- Familiarize themselves with Qatar’s Personal Data Privacy Protection Law (PDPPL) and other data residency requirements.
- Evaluate how a sovereign cloud strategy could impact their data management and compliance protocols.
- Assess opportunities for upskilling and training local teams in advanced cloud and AI technologies to align with the country’s national objectives.
- Engage with local partners and centers of excellence to understand the technical and regulatory specifics of deploying services within Qatar’s framework.
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