New York: Today, at a special event on the sidelines of United Nations Summit of the Future hosted at UN Headquarters in New York, the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a new agreement to foster expanded digital cooperation to accelerate digital transformation around the world and boost efforts towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

DCO Secretary-General, Deemah AlYahya, and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, signed a global Memorandum of Understanding to expand cooperation on advancing digital policy; enhancing digital indices and research; improving digital capacities and skills; promoting digital solutions and meaningful participation women in ICT; as well as fostering global advocacy for bridging the digital divide.

“DCO is dedicated to working hand-in-hand with stakeholders to bridge the digital divide, ensuring that every nation, business, and individual has equitable access to the opportunities of the digital economy,” stressed Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO. “Today, we are happy to strengthen our collaboration with UNDP, enabling us to advance digital cooperation and drive meaningful synergies. By aligning our shared visions and objectives, we are focused on implementing concrete initiatives that will accelerate digital transformation and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs at a global level”.

In 2023, approximately one-third of the global population, or 2.6 billion people did not have access to the internet. The gap in household connectivity between urban and rural areas globally remains significant, with approximately 72 per cent of urban households having access, almost twice as much as in rural areas, at 38 per cent. As well, regional disparities remain very wide. In sub-Saharan Africa, internet penetration stands at around 30%, compared to over 90% penetration in North America. In response, UNDP has integrated digital transformation into its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, recognizing it as a crucial driver for achieving the SDGs by 2030.

“Digital transformation is having a huge impact on economies, services, and societies. It makes information easier to access, boosts productivity, and helps people make better decisions using data," said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. "However, for this transformation to include everyone, it requires strong and ongoing efforts backed by forward-thinking policies and plans. To unlock the full potential of digital transformation, we need cooperation between countries, across sectors, and the entire digital society. Working together is key."

This new global partnership signed today builds on the pioneering Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) initiative, that Regional Bureau for Arab States in UNDP launched last year at UN General Assembly, with DCO as one of its founding partners.

For media enquiries, please contact: 

DCO | media@DCO.org 

UNDP | Lujain Ramadan | Program Analyst | Digital for Development| lujain.ramadan@undp.org

The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) is the world's first standalone international intergovernmental organization focusing on the acceleration of the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. DCO has been founded in November 2020 to enable digital prosperity for all. DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology of sixteen Member States. More about DCO: www.DCO.org | www.linkedin.com/company/DCOrg | www.twitter.com/DCOrg

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries and territories, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.