ISLAMABAD: Deemah AlYahya, the secretary-general of the Saudi Arabia-led Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) praised Pakistan’s “great potential” for technological advancement and digital transformation of its economy, Pakistan’s foreign office said on Sunday. 

The foreign office’s statement came after AlYahya called on Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting in Riyadh on Sunday. 

The DCO is an inter-governmental body established in 2020 dedicated to achieve social prosperity and growth of digital economies. The DCO aims to achieve this by unifying member states’ efforts to advance digital transformation and promote their common interests. DCO member states include Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus and Djibouti. 

AlYahya is a Saudi digital economy expert and the founding secretary-general of the organization since her election to the post in April 2021. As DCO secretary-general, AlYahya is responsible for connecting heads of state, government ministers and private sector digital economy leaders to bridge the digital gap in member states. 

“During the meeting, the SG recounted her successful visit to Pakistan earlier this month and appreciated Pakistan’s great potential for technological advancement and digital transformation of its economy,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said. 

It added that Dar and AlYahya affirmed their resolve to continue collaboration and cooperation for the economic development and digital transformation of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other DCO member states. 

“She emphasized that as founding member of DCO, Pakistan brings great value to the organization and has a significant role to play in its rise and progress,” MoFA stated. 

The two also discussed cooperation to bridge the digital divide and promote financial inclusion through digital economy, particularly for women and young people.

Dar stressed the need for DCO member states to achieve their capabilities in emerging technologies in the fast-evolving tech landscape, the statement said. “In this connection, he appreciated DCO for providing the suitable platform to its member states for their digital advancement,” the statement said. 

AlYahya separately posted about her “great meeting” with Dar on the social media platform X. 

“With 64 percent of the population below 30 years old, many of whom are actively involved in the freelance industry, it is critical to ensure we undertake all collaborative efforts that will enable an ecosystem which lets the youth thrive and prosper in the new digital landscape,” she wrote on X.