ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to join the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as a new Member State, opening opportunities for greater cooperation in digital technologies, AI, innovation and digital trade. The DCO, the world’s first standalone international organization dedicated to accelerating the inclusive and sustainable growth of the digital economy, announced on Aug.
28 that its Council had approved Kazakhstan’s candidature alongside seven other countries. The move could expand the DCO’s membership from 16 to 24 countries, representing approximately 980 million people, or around 12% of the global population, according to the DCO.
Alongside Kazakhstan, the approved candidate countries are Albania, Azerbaijan, Kenya, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Zambia. Tajikistan will join the organization as an Associate Member. Kazakhstan’s prospective accession would mark the DCO’s first expansion into Central Asia and create a new regional axis for digital cooperation.
The organization said the move reflects growing international interest in cooperation on digital policy, artificial intelligence, cross-border data flows, digital public infrastructure and digital skills. “The rules of the digital economy on data, artificial intelligence, and cross-border trade are being written now, and rules written without you are rules you inherit rather than shape,” said DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya.
The approval of candidature begins the formal accession process. Kazakhstan’s membership will take effect after it completes its internal accession procedures and deposits its instrument of accession in line with the DCO’s founding documents. The DCO was established in 2020 and currently brings together 16 countries, representing more than 800 million people.
Its agenda focuses on promoting digital inclusion, innovation, entrepreneurship and cooperation in the digital economy.