We have seen an emergence of data privacy laws across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region since 2020. Economic powerhouses like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have now adopted omnibus data protection laws.
The right to personal privacy and a private life has long been protected as a fundamental right in jurisdictions across the region. Historically, this right was enshrined in constitutional law and underpinned by Sharia principles. However, the development and adoption of powerful technologies that can store and leverage high volumes of personally identifiable data is driving the adoption of more sophisticated privacy laws, designed to address the risks of the digital age.
