Ministers from the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) issued a landmark joint statement at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, calling for unprecedented global cooperation to bridge the digital divide and transform technology into a force for global prosperity.
The multilateral body convened its first high-level dialogue on digital cooperation on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, with representatives from the 16-member organization adopting a comprehensive framework for digital transformation centered on inclusion and resilience.
The September 22, 2025 joint statement builds on momentum from the UN Global Digital Compact adopted in 2024 and the DCO’s newly endorsed 4-Year Agenda for Digital Resilience and Prosperity covering 2025-2028. Ministers emphasized their “collective ambition” to ensure digital transformation promotes prosperity and peace rather than exclusion and fragmentation.
The Digital Cooperation Organization brings together 16 Member States collectively representing more than USD 3.5 trillion in GDP and a population of over 800 million, 70% of whom are under the age of 35, positioning the organization as a significant force in global digital governance.
The ministers committed to five key principles: overcoming digital fragmentation through strengthened international cooperation, expanding innovative South-South and Triangular cooperation models, aligning national efforts with shared digital inclusion principles, utilizing data-driven monitoring tools like the DCO Digital Economy Navigator, and supporting the expansion of multilateral dialogue mechanisms.
A significant development highlighted in the statement involves the UN Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation, co-chaired by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The ministers welcomed the group’s expansion as “a vital mechanism to sustain momentum and multilateral dialogue” at UN headquarters in New York.
The DCO was founded in November 2020 and currently has 16 nations as members, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh and Oman. It also has 39 observer and partner organizations, creating a substantial network for digital cooperation initiatives.
The organization has demonstrated rapid growth since its establishment, accepting 11 new member states and observer positions for world-leading firms including Nvidia, TikTok since launching in 2020, reflecting increasing global interest in coordinated digital governance approaches.
DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya has positioned the organization as facilitating “international, multi-stakeholder” cooperation, emphasizing that the DCO is working towards a world in which every country, business and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in the digital economy.
The joint statement explicitly positions the DCO as “a catalyst” and “a new model of multilateral digital cooperation ready to connect ambition to action,” working alongside the United Nations, international organizations, member states, and partners to create an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient digital future.
Jordan handed over the presidency of the DCO Council for 2025 to the State of Kuwait. The DCO Executive Committee for 2025 will be chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and include Member States such as Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Cyprus, Morocco, and Oman, ensuring continuity in leadership transitions.
The ministers emphasized that “the future of digital cooperation will not be written by anyone alone. It must be co-created,” signaling a departure from unilateral approaches to digital governance toward more collaborative frameworks.
The statement represents the most comprehensive articulation of the DCO’s vision since the organization concluded its fourth annual General Assembly in Jordan on February 19, 2025, launching new digital cooperation initiatives aimed at narrowing the global digital divide and endorsing the DCO’s 2025-2028 agenda.
This ministerial dialogue marks a significant step in establishing alternative frameworks for global digital governance, particularly as traditional multilateral institutions adapt to rapidly evolving technological landscapes and emerging economies seek greater influence in shaping digital transformation policies.
