The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) is poised for a significant wave of expansion following its 5th General Assembly, with Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya revealing that six new nations are currently in talks to join the multilateral body.

In a joint press conference held today alongside Kuwait’s Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Omar Al-Omar, AlYahya confirmed that the DCO is in active discussions with Azerbaijan, China, Lebanon, Iraq, Poland, and Palestine regarding their potential accession.

The addition of these nations would mark a major shift in the DCO’s global footprint, potentially bringing the world’s second-largest economy (China) and key players from Eastern Europe and the Levant into a coalition already representing 800 million people and $3.5 trillion in GDP.

The "Kuwait Declaration" on AI

The assembly, themed "Inclusive Prosperity in the Age of AI," concluded with a landmark achievement: the adoption of the Kuwait Declaration on Responsible AI. The declaration serves as a unified roadmap for Member States to align their digital policies, ensuring that artificial intelligence remains a tool for economic bridging rather than a driver of inequality.

Minister Omar Al-Omar, who chaired the assembly as the 2025 Council President, emphasized the practical steps taken during the summit:

• Combating Misinformation: The formal activation of the Ministerial Committee on Online Misinformation, which will develop technical tools to protect digital content integrity.

• Educational Reform: A commitment to updating national education systems to equip the "70% under 35" population with AI-ready skills.

• Handover of Power: The ceremonial transfer of the DCO Council Presidency from Kuwait to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the 2026 term.

A Growing Multilateral Force

The presence of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and strategic partners like ZainTECH underscored the forum’s status as the premier venue for digital diplomacy. With the potential entry of new members like Poland and China, the DCO is evolving from a regional initiative into a truly global arbiter of the digital economy.

"Digital prosperity must be accessible to all," AlYahya stated during the closing presser. "The conversations we are having with prospective members from Azerbaijan to China prove that the world is looking for a balanced, inclusive framework for the digital age."

As Pakistan prepares to take the helm for 2026, the DCO leaves Kuwait with a clear mandate: to turn high-level AI ethics into "concrete decisions and implementation" across its borders.