Digital Cooperation Organization

The Digital Cooperation Organization was launched in November 2020 by five countries: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan. On April 12, 2021, the Organization announced the accession of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Sultanate of Oman, and that they were considered two founding members, alongside the previously mentioned Member States.{{Cite web |title=Nigeria joins a digital cooperation framework of six Middle Eastern countries |url=https://www.ecofinagency.com/telecom/1404-42524-nigeria-joins-a-digital-cooperation-framework-of-six-middle-eastern-countries |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Ecofin Agency |language=en-gb}}

In 2021, Deemah AlYahya from Saudi Arabia was elected as Secretary-General of the DCO, during the Kingdom's presidency of the Organization.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-12 |title=Deemah AlYahya appointed as secretary general of DCO |url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/605480 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Saudigazette |language=English}} In February 2022, the Kingdom of Bahrain was appointed to the Presidency of the DCO. His Excellency Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications of the Kingdom of Bahrain, became the Chairperson of the Council of the DCO for the 2023 term.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-16 |title=Bahrain assumes the presidency of the DCO |url=https://ciotechasia.com/bahrain-assumes-the-presidency-of-the-dco/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=CIO Tech Asia |language=en-US}} In January 2024, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was elected president of the DCO Council for the 2024 term, and Ahmad Hanandeh, Jordan’s Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship was appointed as Chairperson of the DCO Council.{{Cite web |title=Jordan Elected President of Digital Cooperation Organization |url=https://english.aawsat.com/business/4828531-jordan-elected-president-digital-cooperation-organization |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=english.aawsat.com |language=en}}

In 2022, the Digital Cooperation Organization was granted a United Nations General Assembly observer status after the United Nations General Assembly Sixth Committee adopted draft resolution. The Resolution was later adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2022.{{Cite web |title=UN General Assembly - Legal - Sixth Committee |url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/77/digital_coop_org.shtml |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=www.un.org |language=EN}}

In September 2023, Bangladesh became a Member State after Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the People's Republic of Bangladesh's state Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and the DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya signed the agreement at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, which took place on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-20 |title=Bangladesh becomes member state of Digital Cooperation Organization at UNGA |url=https://arab.news/2x5mc |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Arab News |language=en}} During the same month, the State of Qatar became a Member State of the DCO.{{Cite web |title=Qatar joins the membership of the Digital Cooperation Organization - the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries |url=https://una-oic.org/en/technology/2023/09/20/Qatar-joins-the-Organization-for-Cooperation-No/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |language=en}}

By the end of 2023, the DCO has issued several white papers, reports, and entrepreneur startup guides highlighting the impact of several factors such as misinformation and disinformation on the internet and social networks and the ways to combat it in the digital economy, developing interoperability mechanisms to enable cross-border data flows, digital taxation and policy implications regarding the metaverse, among others.{{Cite web |title=Digital Cooperation Organization Library |url=https://dco.org/library/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=DCO |language=en-US}}

In January 2024, the Hellenic Republic (Greece) joined the DCO Council after signing the DCO Charter and their delegation attended the 3rd general assembly meeting that was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain on January 31, 2024.{{Cite news |title=مجلس منظمة التعاون الرقمي يعلن عن مبادرات متعددة الأطراف لسد الفجوة الرقمية |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/2057014 |work=Alriyadh}}

The DCO launched an initiative with the World Economic Forum on May 25, 2022, to facilitate cross-border investment in the digital economy through digital foreign direct investment. The Digital FDI initiative will be delivered as a joint effort between the two and will implement projects in several countries to help grow Digital FDI at a country level. The first digital FDI project will take place in Nigeria.{{Cite web |title=New Initiative to Strengthen Cross-Border Investment in the Digital Economy |url=https://www.weforum.org/press/2022/05/new-initiative-to-strengthen-cross-border-investment-in-the-digital-economy/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=World Economic Forum |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title=World Economic Forum 2022: DCO, WEF launch initiative to boost global digital FDI flows |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/policy/economy-world-economic-forum-2022-dco-wef-launch-initiative-to-boost-global-digital-fdi-flows-2536118/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Financialexpress |language=en}}

The DCO Startup Passport, launched in February 2022, aims to reduce administrative and financial burdens, and accelerate corporate registration and other processes for entrepreneurs in one DCO Member State to enter the markets of other DCO Member States. The initiative will be rolled out initially in Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-02 |title=DCO launches startup passport to support entrepreneurs |url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/616615/BUSINESS/DCO-launches-startup-passport-to-support-entrepreneurs |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Saudigazette |language=English}}

In June 2022, as part of the DCO pledge during the ITU Partner2Connect, DCO has hosted the first in a planned series of global roundtables, to take place on five continents. The global roundtables were held in Kigali in Africa, Santiago in South America, New York City in North America, Brussels in Europe, and Bangkok in Asia with 35 government, international organization, and private sector leaders in attendance. Each roundtable brought together around 50 stakeholders. The outcomes of these roundtables were consolidated into the "Bridging the Gap" report, which highlighted key challenges to a more inclusive digital economy and provided recommendations for a path forward. The report was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier in 2023.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-13 |title=DCO delegation ends Rwanda visit, launching Global Roundtable series |url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/621716/SAUDI-ARABIA/DCO-delegation-ends-Rwanda-visit-launching-Global-Roundtable-series |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Saudigazette |language=English}}

The DCO is supported by Observer partner organizations taken from international organizations, academic institutions, NGOs, and private sector companies. The DCO observers are world-leading organizations who collaborate with the DCO, sharing their expertise and perspectives on how to accelerate progress in the digital economy.

On May 18, 2022, Saudi Telecom Company joined as an Observer.{{Cite web |last=Geronimo |first=Adelle |date=2022-05-18 |title=Digital Cooperation Organisation, stc and GSMA to "create digital prosperity for all" |url=https://www.itp.net/infrastructure/digital-cooperation-organisation-stc-and-gsma-to-create-digital-prosperity-for-all |access-date=2024-01-11}} KPMG joined the DCO as an Observer in August 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-16 |title=KPMG joins Digital Cooperation Organization as official observer |url=https://arab.news/6hg64 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Arab News |language=en}} In March 2023, the DCO announced six new Observers: BTECH - the Bahrain Technology Companies Society; Deloitte; The Islamic Development Bank; Mobily; Eutelsat OneWeb and Visa.{{Cite web |title=Digital Cooperation Organization welcomes Six New Observers |url=https://www.aap.com.au/aapreleases/cision20230322ae49377/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Australian Associated Press |language=en}}

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• AfriLabs
• American College of Cardiology
• Benefit
• Boubyan Bank
• Bahrain Technology Companies Society - Btech
• Centro de Estudios de la Realidad Económica y Social (CERES)
• Cluj IT Cluster
• COMSATS University Islamabad
• The DataSphere Initiative Foundation
• Deloitte
• Elm
• Fundación País Digital
• Al Hussein Technical University - HTU
• IBM
• The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan - Int@j
• Islamic Development Bank - IsDB
• KPMG
• Mobily
• Nortal
• National University of Sciences and Technology - NUST
• Nvidia
• The Entrepreneurial and Investment Project Management Company - Oasis500
• Omantel
• Oracle
• OneWeb
• Pakistan IT Industry Association - P@SHA
• Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. - PTCL
• Saudi Telecom Company
• Thiqah
• Tools & Solutions T&S
• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
• University College London
• VISA
• Whiteshield Partners{{div col end}}

Five Member States of the DCO including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Pakistan, and Rwanda have launched the "United Nations Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation" initiative at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on the event held on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly meetings. The initiative is set to lead global support and sustainable growth for the digital economy, enabling social inclusivity on a global scale. Secretary-General of the DCO Deemah AlYahya emphasized that the group was launched as an initiative from the DCO to facilitate international, multi-stakeholder action and cooperation in the realignment of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.{{Cite web |title=Five States, Including Saudi Arabia, Launch UN Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation |url=https://english.aawsat.com/node/4564551 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=english.aawsat.com |language=en}}

The DCO signed an MOU with the Smart Africa Alliance on June 9, 2022, to collaborate and exchange digital solutions and knowledge to empower women, youth, and entrepreneurs.{{Cite web |last=Tchounyabe |first=Ruben |title=Smart Africa and DCO partner to accelerate digital transformation |url=https://www.wearetech.africa/en/fils-uk/news/tech/smart-africa-and-dco-partner-to-accelerate-digital-transformation |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.wearetech.africa |language=fr-fr}} In May 2022, the DCO and GSMA signed an agreement to provide DCO Member States with access to GSMA's Capacity Building online learning portal, to give policymakers and regulators of DCO Member States training and other resources.

In August 2023, the DCO unveiled the launch of the Digital Prosperity Awards, an award given to the individuals and organizations for their digital contributions, particularly those that advance the digital economy.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-14 |title=DCO launches digital prosperity awards to celebrate remarkable contributions |url=https://arab.news/vbces |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Arab News |language=en}} The Digital Transformation Award recognizes initiatives that leverage digital technologies to improve decision-making processes, promote advancement, and contribute to overall prosperity.

In every category, a laureate is selected from both the public sector and either the private sector or civil society, exclusively representing the DCO Member States. Those from the private sector or civil society are qualified for the DCO Member Prize for Digital Prosperity for All. Furthermore, a global civil society finalist is chosen for each category, open to public nominations, and the final awardee receives the DCO International Prize for Digital Prosperity for All.

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://dco.org}}
• [https://www.digitalprosperityawards.com/ Digital Prosperity Awards website]

Category:2020 establishments in Saudi Arabia

Category:Non-profit organisations based in Saudi Arabia

Category:International economic organizations

Category:International business organizations

Category:Organizations established in 2020