Digital Cooperation Organization
Corporate brand
UnclaimedThe Digital Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental body focused on inclusive, sustainable digital-economy growth and cooperation among its member states.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) is a global multilateral organization established in November 2020 to promote digital prosperity and cooperation across borders. Its work centers on enabling inclusive and sustainable growth of the digital economy, particularly by helping governments coordinate on digital innovation, digital governance, connectivity, entrepreneurship, investment, data flows, and other policy questions created by the rapid development of digital technologies. The organization was launched by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan. Nigeria and Oman joined in 2021 and were subsequently treated as founding members alongside the original five countries. The membership expanded further during the following years. Bangladesh and Qatar joined in September 2023, while Greece joined the DCO Council in January 2024. By June 2025, the organization listed Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Djibouti, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia as member states. The DCO presents itself as a platform for practical international cooperation rather than as a commercial technology provider. It convenes governments, international organizations, private companies, academic institutions, and civil-society groups to address shared barriers to participation in the digital economy. Its programs include the Startup Passport, intended to make it easier for entrepreneurs in one member state to enter another member-state market; Digital FDI, a joint initiative with the World Economic Forum designed to encourage cross-border digital investment; and the Global Roundtable Series, which gathered stakeholders across several continents to examine obstacles to a more inclusive digital economy. The organization also develops policy research and guidance. By the end of 2023, its published material covered subjects including misinformation and disinformation, cross-border data-flow interoperability, digital taxation, and the policy implications of the metaverse. It has entered capacity-building and knowledge-sharing partnerships with organizations including the GSMA and Smart Africa Alliance. Observer relationships have also connected it with companies, professional-services firms, development institutions, industry associations, and other international stakeholders. The DCO gained observer status at the United Nations in 2022 after the UN General Assembly adopted the relevant resolution on 7 December of that year. In 2023, several DCO member states launched the United Nations Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation at UN headquarters in New York. The group was framed as a mechanism for encouraging international and multistakeholder action in support of digital development and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Governance is conducted through the DCO Council and a Secretary-General. Deemah AlYahya of Saudi Arabia was elected Secretary-General in 2021. The presidency and chairmanship of the Council rotate among member states. Bahrain held the presidency in 2022; Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Bahrain's Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, served as Council chair for the 2023 term; and Jordan was elected president for 2024, with Ahmad Hanandeh, Jordan's Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, appointed Council chair for that term. In addition to policy programs, the DCO has sought to build a recognizable public platform around digital-development achievement. In August 2023 it announced the Digital Prosperity Awards, which recognize public-sector, private-sector, civil-society, and international contributions to digital transformation and digital prosperity. Overall, the DCO's positioning combines intergovernmental policy coordination with practical support for entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, and communities seeking broader participation in the digital economy.
History
The Digital Cooperation Organization was launched in November 2020 by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan. It was created in response to the expanding importance of digital technologies and the need for governments to coordinate on digital growth, governance, innovation, and inclusion. Rather than operating as a conventional commercial enterprise, the DCO functions as an intergovernmental platform that develops cooperation programs, policy knowledge, partnerships, and practical mechanisms for digital-economy participation. In April 2021, the DCO announced that Nigeria and Oman had acceded to the organization. Both were subsequently treated as founding members alongside the five countries that initiated the organization. Later in 2021, Saudi Arabian digital-sector leader Deemah AlYahya was elected Secretary-General. The organization's political leadership is supported by a Council whose presidency and chairmanship rotate among member states. Bahrain held the presidency in 2022. Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Bahrain's Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, served as chair of the Council for the 2023 term. Jordan was elected president for 2024, and Ahmad Hanandeh, Jordan's Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, became Council chair for that term. The DCO's international standing increased in 2022 when the UN General Assembly granted it observer status. The decision followed consideration by the General Assembly's Sixth Committee and was adopted on 7 December 2022. The organization also developed relationships with international and private-sector stakeholders. In May 2022 it partnered with the GSMA to provide policymakers and regulators from member states with access to an online capacity-building portal. In June 2022 it signed a memorandum of understanding with Smart Africa Alliance concerning digital solutions and knowledge exchange, with an emphasis on women, youth, and entrepreneurs. The organization expanded its practical agenda through several initiatives. The Startup Passport, introduced in February 2022, was designed to reduce the administrative and financial burden faced by entrepreneurs seeking to enter other DCO markets. Its initial rollout focused on Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. In May 2022, the DCO and World Economic Forum launched Digital FDI, a joint initiative intended to encourage cross-border investment in the digital economy. The first country-level project was planned for Nigeria. In June 2022, the DCO began a Global Roundtable Series under its digital-inclusion commitments associated with the ITU Partner2Connect initiative. Meetings were held in Kigali, Santiago, New York City, Brussels, and Bangkok, bringing together government representatives, international organizations, and private-sector participants. The findings were consolidated in the Bridging the Gap report, which was presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos in early 2023. The report addressed obstacles to a more inclusive digital economy and proposed directions for future cooperation. Membership and institutional participation continued to grow in 2023 and 2024. Bangladesh signed its membership agreement in September 2023 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, while Qatar joined during the same month. In January 2024, Greece joined the DCO Council and participated in the third General Assembly meeting in Bahrain. By June 2025, the membership list included 16 states spanning the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Djibouti, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia. The DCO has also used publications and convening activity to address emerging digital-policy issues. Its reports and white papers have examined misinformation and disinformation, interoperability for cross-border data flows, digital taxation, and the policy consequences of the metaverse. In August 2023, it announced the Digital Prosperity Awards, recognizing digital transformation and other contributions to digital prosperity. The awards distinguish public-sector achievement from private-sector and civil-society contributions and also include an international civil-society recognition. In parallel, five DCO member states—Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Pakistan, and Rwanda—launched the United Nations Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation during the 78th UN General Assembly period in 2023. The initiative was presented as a means of mobilizing multistakeholder support for digital cooperation and advancing the digital dimensions of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through these activities, the DCO has developed from a newly formed regional-origin initiative into a broader multilateral organization working on digital prosperity, investment, entrepreneurship, governance, and international policy coordination.
- 2024
Greece joins the DCO Council
[1]Greece signed the DCO Charter and joined the Council's work in January 2024.
- 2023
Bangladesh and Qatar join
[1]Bangladesh and Qatar became DCO member states in September 2023.
- 2023
Digital Prosperity Awards announced
[1]The DCO announced awards recognizing digital transformation and contributions to digital prosperity.
- 2022
Startup Passport launched
[1]The DCO introduced a program to help entrepreneurs enter other member-state markets with fewer administrative and financial barriers.
- 2022
Digital FDI announced
[1]The DCO and World Economic Forum launched a joint initiative to facilitate digital foreign direct investment, beginning with Nigeria.
- 2022
UN observer status granted
[1]The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution granting the DCO observer status on 7 December 2022.
- 2021
Nigeria and Oman accede
[1]Nigeria and Oman joined the DCO and were subsequently recognized as founding members alongside the original five states.
- 2021
Deemah AlYahya becomes Secretary-General
[1]Deemah AlYahya of Saudi Arabia was elected Secretary-General during Saudi Arabia's presidency.
- 2020
Organization launched
[1]Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan launched the Digital Cooperation Organization in November 2020.
Products and positioning
An intergovernmental cooperation platform for inclusive and sustainable digital-economy development, policy coordination, investment facilitation, entrepreneurship, and digital governance.
Entrepreneurship and market access program · 2022
DCO Startup Passport
The Startup Passport is a cross-border entrepreneurship initiative designed to make it easier for businesses established in one DCO member state to enter other member-state markets. It seeks to reduce registration friction, administrative complexity, and financial burdens for startups and other entrepreneurs. The initiative was launched in February 2022 and was initially planned for implementation in Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
Digital investment facilitation initiative · 2022
Digital FDI
Digital FDI is a joint DCO and World Economic Forum initiative announced in May 2022. It is intended to facilitate cross-border investment in the digital economy through country-level projects and improved conditions for digital foreign direct investment. Nigeria was identified as the location for the first project.
International policy and stakeholder forum · 2022
DCO Global Roundtable Series
The Global Roundtable Series convenes representatives of governments, international organizations, companies, and other stakeholders to examine barriers to inclusive digital-economy participation. The first series covered Kigali, Santiago, New York City, Brussels, and Bangkok. Its findings were synthesized in the Bridging the Gap report, which provided recommendations for reducing digital divides and improving cooperation.
Awards and recognition program · 2023
Digital Prosperity Awards
The Digital Prosperity Awards recognize organizations and individuals whose work advances the digital economy. The program includes recognition for public-sector initiatives, private-sector or civil-society contributions from DCO member states, and an international civil-society contribution selected through a global process. One highlighted category is the Digital Transformation Award.
Digital-policy research and guidance
DCO policy reports and white papers
The DCO publishes research, white papers, reports, and practical guides addressing issues that affect the digital economy. Topics reported by the organization include online misinformation and disinformation, mechanisms for interoperable cross-border data flows, digital taxation, metaverse policy, and entrepreneurship. These publications support dialogue among governments, regulators, businesses, and other digital-economy participants.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Digital Prosperity Awards
DCO member states · Global civil society
The DCO created a recognition platform for digital transformation and other contributions to digital prosperity by public bodies, private organizations, civil-society groups, and international actors.
Outcome. The awards framework was announced in August 2023; specific laureates are not identified in the supplied material.
- 2023United Nations Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation
United Nations member states · Global digital-policy community
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Pakistan, and Rwanda launched a UN-based group intended to build support for international digital cooperation and sustainable digital-economy growth.
Outcome. The initiative was presented as a vehicle for multistakeholder action and for linking digital cooperation with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
- 2022Digital FDI
Nigeria · DCO member states
The DCO and World Economic Forum developed a joint campaign and project framework to increase cross-border investment in digital sectors and improve digital foreign direct investment at the country level.
Outcome. The first project was designated for Nigeria; broader implementation outcomes are not specified in the supplied material.
- 2022DCO Global Roundtable Series
Africa · South America · North America · Europe · Asia
A series of stakeholder meetings in Kigali, Santiago, New York City, Brussels, and Bangkok explored challenges to a more inclusive digital economy.
Outcome. The discussions were consolidated into the Bridging the Gap report, presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2023.
Brand decisions
2023
Create the Digital Prosperity AwardsProduct launchBackground
The organization sought to highlight practical digital transformation and contributions to inclusive digital development.
Action taken
The DCO announced an awards program covering public-sector initiatives, private-sector and civil-society contributions, and an international civil-society category.
Aftermath
The awards expanded the DCO's public-facing role beyond policy coordination and research.
2022
Launch the Startup PassportProduct launchBackground
Entrepreneurs operating across borders face different registration systems, administrative requirements, and financial burdens in each market.
Action taken
The DCO introduced a program intended to streamline entry by entrepreneurs from one member state into other member-state markets, initially focusing on Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
Aftermath
The initiative became one of the DCO's principal practical programs for supporting entrepreneurship and regional digital-market integration.
2022
Pursue digital foreign direct investment cooperationStrategyBackground
The DCO identified cross-border investment as a way to strengthen digital infrastructure, companies, and economic participation.
Action taken
It partnered with the World Economic Forum on Digital FDI and planned a first country-level project in Nigeria.
Aftermath
The initiative established investment facilitation as a distinct part of the DCO's digital-development agenda.
2022
Seek United Nations observer statusOtherBackground
The DCO sought a formal role in multilateral discussions about digital development and international cooperation.
Action taken
The relevant UN process advanced through the General Assembly Sixth Committee, and the General Assembly adopted the observer-status resolution on 7 December 2022.
Aftermath
The DCO gained a formal observer position within the UN system.
2020
Establish a multilateral digital-cooperation organizationStrategyBackground
The founding governments sought a shared mechanism for addressing the economic, governance, innovation, and inclusion challenges associated with the digital era.
Action taken
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan launched the DCO in November 2020.
Aftermath
The organization subsequently expanded its membership and developed initiatives covering investment, startups, policy research, and international cooperation.
Sources2 sources
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