Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has become a member of the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules Forum (Global CBPR Forum).
During a recent Global CBPR Forum workshop in the Philippines, DIFC became the first member outside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region.
As part of the membership requirements, DIFC also joined the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (Global CAPE).
The move supports DIFC’s efforts to establish interoperable and trusted privacy frameworks in line with global business and individual needs.
It also reinforces the Centre’s role in advancing the digital economy in Dubai and the UAE, consistent with the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, while facilitating secure and transparent cross-border data flows.
Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said:
“The digital age, fuelled by global connectivity and technology, means information is ubiquitous and instantly shareable. DIFC has established effective laws, regulation and compliance for more than 8,000 registered companies within the Centre, reflecting Dubai’s commitment to world-class standards and its vision to be at the forefront of the digital economy.”
The CBPR System certifies organisations’ compliance with requirements for the cross-border transfer of personal data and has operated under APEC since its inception.
The Global CBPR Forum, established in 2022, extends this framework beyond the APEC region, promoting regulatory interoperability across jurisdictions.
In 2023, DIFC introduced Regulation 10, governing the processing of personal data through autonomous and semi-autonomous systems, including AI and machine learning technologies.
This regulation provides a platform for harmonising privacy principles across jurisdictions while supporting ethical and responsible data processing.
DIFC’s Global CBPR membership follows its participation in the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) in Seoul, where it signed cooperation agreements with data protection authorities in Brazil, the Isle of Man, Uganda and Kenya. DIFC is scheduled to host the GPA conference in Dubai in 2026.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by CHRIS LEE via Freepik
