الحوسبة السحابية وسيادة البيانات في البلدان النامية: التحديات والمخاطر واستراتيجيات الحوكمة

This paper examines the question of data sovereignty amid the rapid expansion of cloud computing adoption by developing countries, relying on services provided by major global technology firms. While these services deliver clear gains in cost reduction, accelerated digital transformation, and access to advanced infrastructure for smaller institutions, they simultaneously place the data of citizens, institutions, and governments in developing countries under legal and technical frameworks based outside their national borders. This raises fundamental questions about the actual degree of control such countries retain over their data and their capacity to safeguard strategic, security, and economic interests. The paper reviews the core concepts underlying cloud computing and data sovereignty, analyzes the state of digital adoption in developing countries, and discusses the principal legal, regulatory, technical, and economic challenges, alongside the security and geopolitical risks arising from excessive dependence on foreign providers. It also presents national and regional case studies in building legislative frameworks for data protection and storage regulation, concluding with a set of governance strategies and practical recommendations that policymakers in developing countries can draw upon to strike a balance between benefiting from cloud computing and preserving digital sovereignty.