UAE telco’s stake in Vodafone poses some security risks, UK says

LONDON: An Abu Dhabi-based telecoms company’s stake in mobile group Vodafone poses national security risks in terms of government contracts and cyber security, Britain has concluded, ordering Vodafone to take steps to manage the risks.

In a statement published on Jan. 24, the UK government cleared state-controlled Emirates Telecommunications’ 14.6% stake in Vodafone, which makes it the British firm’s largest shareholder.

However, the government said Vodafone should establish a national security committee to oversee sensitive work that could have an impact on national security.