Richie Santosdiaz explores a number of the highlights of the fourth annual Common Meeting held by the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) on the Pink Sea in Jordan.
A spread of governments, corporations and worldwide organisations attended the DCO normal meeting in Jordan on 19 February 2025. The meeting regarded to deal with a number of necessary points associated to strengthening digital cooperation among the many 16 member states that make up the DCO, accelerating the expansion of the digital financial system, supporting technological innovation, and exploring methods to beat challenges hindering inclusive and sustainable development within the digital world.
A few of the DCO’s 16 member ministers of communication and expertise additionally attended a closed-door normal meeting, alongside different companions throughout different governmental and worldwide organisations such because the United Nations Workplace for South South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the African Continental Free Commerce Settlement (AfCTFA), in addition to companions within the personal sector.
This additionally included invites from observer members that included delegates from so far as China and Portugal. Jaafar Abdel Fattah Hassan, Prime Minister and Minister of Protection of Jordan welcomed guests alongside Her Excellency Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-Common of the DCO.
Making certain change is inclusive
AlYahya welcomed attendees to the Meeting, saying: “The digital financial system already accounts for greater than 15 per cent of worldwide GDP and is rising 2.5 occasions quicker than the normal financial system. Almost 70 per cent of latest worth created within the world financial system over the following decade will probably be pushed by digital enterprise fashions. However with out cooperation and collaboration, this worth will stay concentrated in just a few economies – leaving others struggling to catch up.
“Whereas some nations and industries leap ahead with AI-driven improvements and superior digital finance, others wrestle with gaps in infrastructure, outdated insurance policies, and an pressing want for digital abilities growth. The world is shifting ahead at a fast tempo – however not everyone seems to be shifting ahead collectively.
“That is why the DCO exists – not as a spectator of those challenges, however as an architect of change. We’re right here to make sure that digital transformation is inclusive, and that no nation or group is left behind.”
Numerous occasions centred across the anchor portion of the closed-door normal meeting which included an inaugural version of a extra semi-public Worldwide Digital Cooperation Discussion board (IDCF) (gathering of worldwide leaders, innovators, policymakers, and changemakers to speed up digital financial system development), in addition to the Digital Prosperity Awards, an initiative recognising excellent digital contributions that drive development, prosperity, and sustainable growth.
Signing agreements
First, member states of the DCO endorsed its 2025-2028 Agenda aiming to advance digital maturity. Additional discussions will happen on the Fifth Common Meeting, set to happen in Kuwait.
Omar Saud Al-Omar, Minister of State for Communication Affairs for Kuwait, mentioned: “We look ahead to constructing on our contributions, together with guiding efforts to fight on-line misinformation by chairing a Ministerial Committee that may oversee the implementation of the Framework for Strengthening Nationwide Agendas to Fight On-line Misinformation.
“Our Presidency comes at a pivotal time for DCO, with the 2025-2028 Agenda setting a blueprint for the following 4 years. We’re able to share our experience so that every one nations have a possibility to prosper within the digital financial system.”
DCO member states additionally welcomed the choice to broaden DCO membership by establishing the Affiliate Membership mechanism. Member states additionally endorsed a lot of cross-border agreements, together with:
the DCO Entrepreneurship and Innovation Customary of Excellencethe DCO Interoperability Mechanism for Cross-Border Knowledge Flowsthe AI Ethics Evaluator and the DCO Mannequin Contractual Clauses
Different agreements have been additionally sealed after the Meeting, together with a letter of intent between the UNOSSC and the DCO, which goals to strengthen digital collaboration amongst growing and rising economies.
Different mentions
The Digital Prosperity Awards awarded a number of prizes at its dinner ceremony on 18 February. This included two winners of the flagship award – NeuroTech from Jordan and Spark from the Netherlands. The awards goal to develop digital abilities amongst youth and enhance the visibility of latest digital ecosystems and centres of innovation.
As well as, the IDCF held a lot of panel discussions all through the day. Matters ranged from ‘Tech Diplomacy in a Multilateral World: Shaping International Cooperation’ to ‘Ladies Management within the Age of AI – AI Enterprise’.
I personally moderated a session targeted on ‘Financing for Digital Growth in an Period of AI’. The session’s panellists have been: Dima AlKhatib, director of the UNOSSC; Barabara Manzi, regional director for Arab States on the UN Growth Coordination Workplace; Courtney Powell, COO and managing accomplice of 500 International; Dieter Hampel, chairman and govt board member for the Company for Financial Cooperation & Growth, and His Excellency Wamkele Mene, secretary normal of AfCFTA.
Every of the panellists coated totally different points of the broader digital financial system. Wamkele mentioned the successes Africa has had with its Pan-African Fee and Settlement System (PAPSS) and its Digital Commerce Protocol.
The DCO, based in 2020, is the world’s first standalone worldwide intergovernmental organisation specializing in the acceleration of the expansion of an inclusive and sustainable digital financial system. It brings collectively ministries of communications and data expertise in 16 international locations: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Djibouti, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda and Saudi Arabia – representing practically $3.5trillion in GDP and a market of practically 800 million individuals, greater than 70 per cent of whom are below the age of 35.
