Kuwait City, Kuwait//-About 450 participants are currently attending the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) 5th General Assembly and the International Digital Cooperation Forum in Kuwait City, State of Kuwait.
The DCO General Assembly which is one of the most significant digital policy gatherings of the year, is being attended by an exceptional lineup of high -level leaders, comprising the DCO Council Members —Ministers of Information Technology, Communications, and Digital Economy from 16 Member States including Ghana, the Gambia, Kenya and Rwanda —as well as Ministers and Ambassadors from guest countries, senior representatives from international organizations, and DCO Observers and partners from leading global institutions and the public and private sector.
Speaking at the opening ceremony today, the Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organisation, H.E. Dr Deemah AlYahya, said the DCO General Assembly is a pivotal platform for reviewing the Organisation’s achievements and strategic plans, launching key initiatives, and reinforcing partnerships, in alignment with the DCO 4-year agenda (2025 –2028).
She noted that the event also marked the ceremonial handover of the Presidency from the State of Kuwait to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as the incoming Presidency for 2026.
Deemah Al Yahya (DCO) — Warned that AI is advancing faster than governance, risking deeper digital divides, and called for coordinated, inclusive multilateral action to turn AI into shared digital prosperity.
*DCO Member State Interventions *
Dr Al Yahya, As 2025 Council President, emphasised trust and integrity in digital transformation, launched a DCO campaign to combat online misinformation, and advanced ministerial cooperation on AI and content integrity.
Jordan — m reflected on progress as outgoing Council President for 2024, highlighting adoption of the 2025–2028 agenda, expanded partnerships, and leadership on practical AI readiness tools.
Pakistan — As incoming Council President for 2026, outlined priorities including ethical AI, digital public infrastructure, skills and cybersecurity, and called for digital trust corridors among member states.
Saudi Arabia — Highlighted DCO’s economic scale and growth, progress on responsible AI and trusted data frameworks, and major investments in AI talent, computing and energy capacity.
Bahrain — Called for negotiation of an international AI treaty and proposed DCO as a platform to advance responsible, ethical and peace-oriented AI governance.
Oman — Outlined its national AI and advanced technologies program, emphasising ethical, human-centred governance and AI deployment across public services.
Qatar — Announced major AI infrastructure investments, national AI strategy, development of an Arabic-language LLM, and an annual AI summit to advance global dialogue.
Morocco — Presented initiatives positioning Morocco as a regional AI hub, including the Jazari Network of AI Institutes and AI-driven sustainable development programs.
Rwanda — Focused on AI for development impact in health, agriculture and fintech, highlighting continental cooperation through the Africa AI Council.
Bangladesh — Emphasised human-centric and ethical AI, citing progress on AI readiness assessments and near-term adoption of a national AI policy.
Greece — Highlighted responsible AI development through national initiatives and EU AI factories, emphasising the link between AI, cloud infrastructure and digital sovereignty.
*Non-Member / Guest State Interventions*
Azerbaijan — Presented AI as a national capability, outlining its AI strategy, National AI Center and Academy, and progress in digital government.
Kazakhstan — Outlined investments in AI governance, supercomputing infrastructure and large-scale talent development, positioning itself as an open partner for AI collaboration.
Kenya — Warned that frontier AI risks exceed national capacity, calling for enforceable, globally coordinated AI governance frameworks.
Tajikistan — Highlighted regional AI cooperation in Central Asia, alignment with the SDGs, and plans for an AI Regional Development Centre in Dushanbe.
China — Reaffirmed commitment to multilateral AI governance and Global South cooperation, citing platforms focused on capacity building and inclusive development.
Cambodia — Stressed that AI risks are inherently cross-border and require multilateral cooperation to build trust and enable responsible adoption.
Palestine — Framed digital infrastructure and AI governance as humanitarian imperatives, calling for inclusive frameworks that protect conflict-affected and marginalised populations.
