Jordan Prime Minister Dr. Jaafar Abdel Fattah Hassan Welcomes DCO Chief And Delegations For Digital Cooperation Initiatives

In Amman, the Prime Minister of Jordan, Dr. Jaafar Abdel Fattah Hassan, welcomed Deemah AlYahya, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), alongside delegation leaders attending the DCO's fourth General Assembly on February 19. Dr. Hassan commended the DCO's essential role in promoting digital collaboration among its members, advancing digital transformation, and bolstering the digital economy to meet sustainable development objectives.

The assembly concluded with significant international participation from member states and invited nations. During this event, new initiatives were launched to bridge the global digital divide. The DCO's 2025-2028 agenda was formally adopted by member states. Additionally, they approved forming the 2025 Executive Committee, chaired by Saudi Arabia and including Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Cyprus, Morocco, and Oman.

The meeting also saw the introduction of several cross-border digital initiatives. These included the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Standard of Excellence and the DCO Interoperability Mechanism for Cross-Border Data Flows. Moreover, the DCO Model Contractual Clauses and an Associate Membership Mechanism were established to enhance cooperation among member states.

Representatives from DCO member countries and invited nations reaffirmed their dedication to enhancing digital opportunities. They aim to enable societies to fully benefit from modern technologies while supporting DCO’s initiatives toward building a comprehensive digital economy. The assembly also witnessed broad international participation from various organizations.

During her address at the assembly, AlYahya expressed gratitude to Jordan for hosting this pivotal meeting. She highlighted that it marks a crucial milestone in advancing digital cooperation among member states. "Through the Digital Cooperation Organization, we seek to unify efforts to enable innovation and digital entrepreneurship," she stated.

The assembly's declaration saw all 16 DCO member states reaffirming their commitment to creating an inclusive and sustainable digital economy centered around human needs. They also endorsed expanding DCO membership through an Associate Membership Mechanism and celebrated the successful implementation of the WE-Elevate initiative.

Future Leadership Changes

The General Assembly was chaired by Smeirat and included a handover ceremony for the presidency of the DCO Council for 2025 from Jordan to Kuwait. Kuwait is set to host the next General Assembly in February 2026. The upcoming fifth General Assembly will focus on evaluating joint initiatives' impact aligned with the four-year agenda from 2025-2028.

The assembly also featured signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between various entities: DCO with MISK Foundation, HP Inc., Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development; Oman with 500 Global; and DCO with UNOSSC. These agreements aim to strengthen partnerships in promoting digital growth across regions.

DCO's Vision for Digital Prosperity

The DCO was founded in November 2020 as an international multilateral organization comprising 16 countries representing over $3.5 trillion in GDP and a population exceeding 800 million people. Youth under 35 make up 70% of this population. The organization strives for digital prosperity by unifying efforts towards enhancing digital transformation while supporting common interests among its members.

AlYahya emphasized that this summit is a significant step towards achieving their ambitious vision of building a sustainable digital economy serving all member states globally: "This summit is a major step towards achieving our ambitious vision of building a sustainable digital economy that serves all member states and global communities."

With inputs from SPA