The member states of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) gathered in New York on September 23, 2025, for the first High-level Dialogue for Digital Cooperation, held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

According to an official announcement from the DCO, they adopted a joint statement urging greater international collaboration to ensure that digital transformation serves as a driver of resilience, prosperity, and peace.

The statement built on the momentum of the UN Global Digital Compact, which was adopted in 2024, as well as the DCO’s Four-Year Agenda for Digital Resilience and Prosperity for 2025 to 2028.

The DCO Member States united around a shared purpose to guarantee that digital transformation becomes a force for prosperity and peace rather than exclusion and fragmentation.

During the dialogue, representatives of the member states highlighted the urgency of addressing digital fragmentation and strengthening cooperation across countries and organisations.

They pledged to promote innovative cooperation models for digital transformation, including through South-South and Triangular collaboration.

They also committed to aligning their national strategies with common principles on digital inclusion, responsible innovation, and building resilient digital ecosystems.

The leaders reaffirmed the importance of using data-driven tools such as the DCO Digital Economy Navigator to track progress and shape evidence-based policies.

They welcomed the expansion of the UN Group of Friends for Digital Cooperation, which is co-chaired by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as an important mechanism to sustain momentum and advance multilateral dialogue within the UN headquarters.

The announcement positions the DCO as a catalyst for a new era of multilateral digital cooperation.

The organisation stated that it remains committed to working alongside the United Nations, international organisations, and other partners to build a digital future that is inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.

The DCO is the world’s first standalone international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to accelerating the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy.

Founded in 2020, it brings together the ministries of communications and information technology of its 16 member states, which collectively represent nearly €3.5 trillion in GDP and a combined market of over 800 million people, more than 70 per cent of whom are under the age of 35.

The DCO collaborates with governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organisations to promote digital inclusion, enable cross-border data flows, empower women and youth, and support entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises.

It also works to facilitate coordinated digital policies across borders and holds observer status with the United Nations General Assembly and other global institutions.