Syria Formally Joins Digital Cooperation Organization

Syria's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdulsalam Haykal, announced Syria's accession to the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) following the signing of the membership charter with DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya, in the presence of Mohsen Mahbash, charge d'affaires of the Syrian embassy in Riyadh. In a post on platform "X", the minister said Syria's active participation in the organization serves its interests, supports its digital growth, and opens new areas of cooperation with member states.

A Step Beyond Protocol

Dr. Musab Shabib, Dean of the Faculty of Information Engineering at Idlib University, told Al-Watan newspaper that Syria's accession is an important step that goes beyond a protocol formality, as it places Syria's telecommunications and digital transformation sector within an international cooperation framework that includes governments and digital economies with advanced experience in infrastructure, electronic services, and digital legislation. He noted that the organization had approved Syria as a candidate state for membership on August 28, prior to the finalization of the membership charter.

Potential Areas of Benefit

Shabib explained that the significance of the step lies in the possibility of benefiting from the accumulated expertise and standards of member states, particularly in:

• Developing telecommunications networks
• Data centers and cloud computing
• E-government
• Digital security and trust
• Regulating cross-border data flows

He added that these files had previously been discussed by the Ministry of Communications with the organization, including the development of digital government infrastructure and addressing existing gaps in the telecom sector.

Role of the DCO

Shabib stated that the Digital Cooperation Organization, as an intergovernmental organization, works to accelerate comprehensive and sustainable growth of the digital economy through unifying efforts and policies, exchanging knowledge, developing legislative frameworks, and encouraging investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship, in addition to its focus on empowering youth, women, and startups and enhancing digital inclusion.

Practical Prospects for Syrian Companies

Shabib noted that Syria can practically benefit from the organization's programs in developing digital skills, artificial intelligence, digital trade, data flows, attracting technology investments, and connecting Syrian companies with regional markets. The organization also provides tools to measure digital economy maturity, compare country performance, and identify reform and investment priorities.

Shabib concluded by saying that the real value of membership will show once it translates into projects, partnerships, and executive programs that are reflected in internet quality, expanded coverage, reduced service costs, and the digitization of state institutions, adding that for Syria, which needs to rehabilitate its digital infrastructure, the organization could serve as an important platform for moving from rebuilding networks to building a modern digital economy integrated with the regional and international environment.