Doha hosts workshop on shaping digital future to strengthen Qatar-EU partnership

Doha recently hosted a workshop focused on shaping the digital future and enhancing the partnership between Qatar and the European Union (EU). The event, co-organized by the Public Prosecution and the EU Delegation to Qatar, delved into three key areas: digital platform governance, artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal justice, and critical infrastructure protection.

The first area examined the allocation of responsibilities across public authorities, platforms, regulatory bodies, trusted flaggers, researchers, and civil society. The workshop specifically highlighted the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) as a leading regulatory framework and explored methods to address illegal content and disinformation.

The second area centered on AI applications in criminal justice, covering predictive policing, risk assessment, facial recognition, forensic analysis, and judicial decision-support systems. Discussions also touched upon concerns related to bias, transparency, due process safeguards, and the need for human oversight, alongside recent regulatory developments concerning trustworthy AI.

Finally, the third area addressed the critical importance of protecting infrastructure and cyber diplomacy. Sessions explored the role of cyber diplomacy in promoting international stability and examined strategies to safeguard critical infrastructure from cyber threats such as ransomware attacks and hybrid threats involving cyber operations and information manipulation. Participants also discussed strategies to bolster preparedness, response capabilities, and diplomatic coordination to mitigate these risks.

The workshop emphasized the significance of international cooperation and knowledge exchange in creating effective digital policies that harmonize technological innovation with public security and fundamental rights. This event also reflected Qatar's commitment to strengthening bilateral collaboration with the EU in navigating the digital era's challenges.