RIYADH — Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha emphasized the importance of strengthening international cooperation to build an inclusive digital future founded on trust, talent empowerment, and the effective use of advanced technologies, foremost among them artificial intelligence.He made the remarks while addressing the 5th General Assembly meeting of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), in Kuwait on Wednesday. The two-day gathering, which will conclude on Thursday, is the DCO’s most significant annual moment, convening the full digital ecosystem including Member State ministers, observers, partners, policymakers, CEOs, innovators, and representatives from over 60 countries to contribute to shaping the global digital agenda. Alswaha commended Kuwait for its leadership during its presidency of the organization, highlighting several impactful initiatives, including efforts to combat misinformation, promote trusted cross-border data flows, and launch a responsible AI framework—collectively enhancing global trust in the digital ecosystem. He noted the growing impact of the DCO, whose member states represent approximately 10 percent of the world’s population and contribute nearly $3.6 trillion to the global economy, while achieving growth rates that exceed the global average. The minister also highlighted the advancement of digital talent across DCO member states, which collectively comprise more than two million technology professionals and, in recent years, have contributed to the emergence of 16 unicorn companies and a range of successful entrepreneurial models. Addressing national achievements, Alswaha stated that the Kingdom has realized significant milestones in the digital economy in recent years, including the region’s first Nobel Prize awarded for an AI-enabled breakthrough in chemistry, as well as the participation of the first Arab Muslim woman in a mission to the International Space Station to conduct advanced medical research. He also underscored the importance of continued investment in digital infrastructure to support the digital economy in the intelligent age, and of strengthening international partnerships to achieve sustainable digital growth that serves humanity and the global economy.