The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate digital economy growth and foster responsible artificial intelligence deployment across the Arab region.
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate digital economy growth and foster responsible, inclusive artificial intelligence adoption across the Arab region.
The agreement was signed by UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rania Al-Mashat alongside DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya.
Following an initial strategic meeting between leadership three months prior, the signing establishes a formal cooperation framework paired with a joint action plan to translate high-level digital ambitions into practical, country-level programs.
The partnership merges ESCWA’s policy research, intergovernmental mechanisms, and analytical tools including the Arab Digital Agenda with DCO’s member-state-driven mandate, implementation platforms, diagnostic tools and network of public and private sector partners.
Initial efforts will center on two primary operational workstreams. The first focuses on digital economy growth, covering policy execution, institutional capacity building and helping governments improve investment readiness.
The second workstream addresses artificial intelligence readiness, combining diagnostic assessments, policy guidance, technical skilling and peer-to-peer learning to ensure AI technologies are deployed responsibly and inclusively across regional economies.
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Beyond domestic implementation, the alliance aims to elevate the Arab region’s voice in global discussions surrounding data and artificial intelligence governance.
The partnership comes as international bodies prepare for major policy reviews, including the upcoming evaluation of the Global Digital Compact at the 82nd session of the UN General Assembly and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance scheduled for May 2027 in New York.
DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya emphasized that pairing ESCWA’s regional policy insights with DCO’s execution capabilities ensures that regional innovation and data perspectives help shape international standards.
Supported by DCO’s expanding membership which recently welcomed Lebanon, the State of Palestine and the Syrian Arab Republic alongside its existing eight Arab member states the initiative aims to ensure developing economies actively contribute to global digital policy.
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