In a move that underscores the pivotal role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in shaping the future of the global digital economy, His Excellency the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, held a series of important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the fifth General Assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organization. These meetings included ministers of digital economy and communications from five member states of the organization, with the aim of strengthening international partnerships and unifying visions to address the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.
Background and context of the Digital Cooperation Organization
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) was established in November 2020 at the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is a multilateral international organization that aims to enable digital prosperity for all by accelerating the inclusive growth of the digital economy. The organization seeks to achieve this by bridging the digital divide, empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs, and fostering digital innovation. Its membership comprises countries from around the world, making it a unique platform for sharing experiences and coordinating digital policies at the international level.
Details of the meetings and their strategic objectives
Minister Al-Swaha's meetings focused on vital strategic areas, including enabling technological innovation, developing digital services, building human capacity, and adopting emerging technologies, most notably artificial intelligence. The meetings took place as follows:
- With Kuwait: Strengthening the strategic technical partnership was discussed within the framework of the Saudi-Kuwaiti Coordination Council, and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship between the two countries.
- With Jordan: The meeting discussed partnership opportunities in developing the digital economy and adopting modern technologies to empower entrepreneurs.
- With Lebanon: The dialogue focused on supporting joint cooperation in the areas of digital economy and technological innovation in the age of artificial intelligence.
- With Pakistan: Ways to enhance partnership in the areas of artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and building technical capabilities were reviewed.
- With Gambia: The meeting explored expanding partnership prospects in developing digital services and enabling technological innovation.
Importance and expected impact
These meetings are of paramount importance both locally and internationally. Locally, these efforts align directly with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes digital transformation and economic diversification, and seeks to solidify the Kingdom's position as a leading technology hub in the region. Regionally and internationally, strengthening these partnerships under the umbrella of the Digital Cooperation Organization contributes to creating a digital cluster capable of keeping pace with global developments, developing common policies to regulate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth for all member states, thereby enhancing their competitiveness on the global stage.
