The Sultanate of Oman was selected as a member of the Executive Committee of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) – an establishment founded in November 2020 to accelerate economic growth in member states.

The decision was taken during the participation of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology in DCO’s General Assembly’s meeting held in Riyadh.

Oman’s delegation was headed by Eng. Said Hamoud Al Maawali – the Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

The meeting reviewed DCO’s programmes and projects for this year (2023). It also endorsed the membership of some countries and reviewed the achievements made by DCO last year.

Dr. Ali Amer Al Shidhani, Communications and Information Technology Undersecretary, affirmed that Oman’s active role in DCO’s activities stems from a deep conviction in the significance of international cooperation for the realization of its digital economy’s goals.

“Through our membership in this organization, we seek to advance [a] digital economy in Oman by consulting the expertise and experiences of member states, notably in devising policies and laws,” Al Shidhani said.

The Ministry is currently joining hands with the DCO in implementing various projects in data governance, modern approaches in communications and Information Technology, the calculation of digital taxes, the expansion of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the field of communications and information technology in markets of DCO member states and measuring the maturity of the digital economy.

DCO is a global multilateral organisation that brings together the ministries of communications and information technology in 13 countries; namely, Oman, Cyprus, Bahrain, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Jordan, Rwanda and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.