The Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) launched a report on Friday calling for coordinated multistakeholder action to strengthen the security and resilience of civilian digital ecosystems during crises.

The organisation, which counts Cyprus among its member states said the initiative aims to advance international digital cooperation and support the development of trusted, resilient and people-centred digital systems that underpin daily life.

The report, titled Civilian Digital Ecosystems at the Core Safeguarding During Crisis, examines escalating risks facing digital infrastructure during emergencies.

This includes the manipulation of crisis-related information, impersonation of official channels, the spread of AI-generated misleading content, and cyber incidents targeting essential systems.

It also warns that such threats increasingly undermine the continuity of digital public services relied upon by millions of people across multiple sectors.

The DCO said the protection of civilians has long been a core principle under international law, and stressed that this responsibility must now extend into the digital domain as societies become more dependent on interconnected systems.

It added that the report is intended as a practical reference for governments, international organisations, businesses, academia, digital platforms and civil society groups, urging immediate and collective action to safeguard digital ecosystems through stronger international cooperation.

The organisation identified four broad areas for action, focusing on resilience of digital infrastructure, strengthening public trust, improving the sharing of emerging knowledge and ensuring the continuity of digital services during crises.

Commenting on the launch, DCO secretary general Deemah AlYahya said that crises no longer remain confined to physical borders and now extend directly into digital systems.

“Crises today do not stop at physical borders,” she said. “They extend into the digital systems on which civilian life depends.”

“When those systems falter, the consequences are severe and immediate,” she continued. “Safeguarding civilian digital ecosystems is no longer solely a technical priority; it has become a societal and developmental imperative. One that cannot wait for the next crisis to materialise.”

“This report offers governments and stakeholders a practical framework to move from fragmented responses towards coordinated action,” she stated.

“Protecting the continuity, integrity and trustworthiness of these systems is a shared responsibility, and meeting it now will protect people, economies and institutions when it matters most,” the DCO secretary general added.

The DCO called on governments and other stakeholders to build on the report’s findings as a basis for immediate cooperation, reaffirming its readiness to support efforts through data-driven insights, policy guidance and digital tools, including its Digital Economy Navigator initiative and its wider network of partners and observers.

The organisation, founded in 2020, brings together ministries of communications and information technology from its member states and works to promote digital inclusion, cross-border data flows and support for entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises.