Manama, Bahrain – The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), a global intergovernmental organization dedicated to fostering digital prosperity for all by accelerating the inclusive growth of the global digital economy, has announced the launch of new initiatives to bridge the global digital divide.
The DCO Council also announced the joining of Bangladesh, Qatar, and Greece as the new member states and officially handed over its presidency from Bahrain to Jordan.
The meeting was attended by ministerial representatives and heads of delegations of 16 DCO member states, covering a population of around 800 million and GDP of $3.5 trillion, in addition to guest countries and Observers.
Topics of discussion included cross-border market growth; the value of data; human-centric and sustainable digital economy; and digital cooperation to deliver impact. digital trade, investment, and entrepreneurship; and accelerating the digital cooperation agenda.
The DCO Member in their Council Declaration reaffirmed their commitment to building an agile, efficient, and relevant multilateral organization, acknowledging the critical juncture in the advancement of the global digital economy and emphasizing the importance of multilateral, multistakeholder, and multi-sectorial, digital cooperation to drive and accelerate the sustainable and inclusive growth of the global digital economy.
In addition, DCO member states affirmed in the declaration their commitment to preventing the global digital divide from becoming a challenge to the development divide, recognizing the potential of digital transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve this potential, they urged all stakeholders in the global digital economy to relentlessly cooperate in a multilateral framework to ensure that every country, business, and individual gets the chance to prosper in the global digital economy.
The member states announced the launch of a new DCO initiative, the DCO GenAI Center of Excellence Initiative, which will kick-start a network of state-of-the-art facilities equipped with advanced systems.
Other new DCO initiatives announced to drive digital cooperation included the Data Embassy Initiative and the Online Content Integrity Initiative.
The Data Embassy Initiative supports the establishment of a network of secure data storage facilities beyond national borders and ensures the safety and sovereignty of the member states’ data, while fostering a unified digital environment among them. The initiative is a cornerstone of the DCO Data agenda which will serve as a framework for navigating data management and governance, helping member states and the DCO meet the challenges of interoperability, privacy, and digital diplomacy.
The Online Content Integrity Initiative will meanwhile confront the challenges presented by misinformation on social media and streaming platforms while considering the diversity of cultural values. The organization welcomed Kuwait’s decision to champion the initiative.
The Assembly additionally witnessed the announcement of the addition of 17 new observers from different sectors, reflecting the global determination to enhance digital cooperation among different stakeholders.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain takes pride in hosting the third general assembly meeting of the Digital Cooperation Organization, which confirms the Kingdom’s commitment to driving progress and innovation in the digital world for everyone, in line with the goals and aspirations of the organization in the field of digital economy, with a view to enhancing international cooperation to address global challenges and achieve sustainable development,” Mohamed bin Thamir Al Kaabi, Chairperson of the DCO and Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications of Bahrain, said in his opening address.
Deemah AlYahya, the Secretary-General of the DCO, said: “Today more than ever, we need cooperation among all stakeholders as the world faces digital inequalities compounded by rapidly advancing technologies such as AI.”
“By working together, we can ensure that progress is inclusive and sustainable by choice, not chance. We possess the tools, the talent, and the tenacity to bridge the digital divide, empower the marginalized, and pave the way for a future where no one is left behind,” AlYahya added.