Deputy Minister of Innovation represents Cyprus at DCO General Assembly in Jordan

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Dr. Nicodemos Damianou represented Cyprus at the 4th General Assembly of the Council of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) held in Amman.

The event was held on 19 February 2025, under Jordan’s presidency.

In his statements, the Deputy Minister noted that the DCO is a platform for exchanging good practices and developing partnerships, through which Cyprus can, on the one hand, accelerate its digital transition, and on the other hand, further highlight its role as a regional technology and innovation hub in the region.

It is recalled that Cyprus was the first EU member state to join the Organization, in 2022, with Greece following, while it has already participated in important initiatives that focus on strengthening business relations and attracting investments. It is worth noting that just recently, in this context, the first Matchmaking Event between technology companies from Cyprus and Saudi Arabia was organized in Riyadh, in which new business opportunities were explored and the foundations for mutually beneficial partnerships were laid.

In the context of the International Digital Cooperation Forum (IDCF) organised by the DCO and held in parallel with the General Assembly’s proceedings, the Deputy Minister participated in a Ministerial panel on attracting investments and international cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence. In his intervention, he highlighted the strategic advantages of Cyprus as an attractive destination for investments in the fields of innovation and technology, as well as the targeted incentives and measures taken by the Government for the continuous and further improvement of the country's business environment.

Additionally, the Deputy Minister participated in a Ministerial Roundtable Discussion on strengthening relations between the DCO and the EU, with Cyprus serving as a bridge for cooperation between them on digital policy issues. Through the positions of the participants in the discussion, the need to develop synergies was highlighted, especially on issues related to global challenges but also opportunities created by the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence.

On the sidelines of the visit to Jordan, the Deputy Minister also attended a reception hosted by the Prime Minister of Jordan for the Heads of State of the DCO, while he held contacts and discussions with his counterparts and business figures.

Present at the General Assembly were, in addition to Ministers and government officials from the Organization’s 16 member states, representatives of international non-governmental organisations as well as private sector entities, including Cyta, which has joined the Organization as an “Observer”.

The organization’s strategic plan for the next four years was discussed, including the integration of new members, as well as the individual initiatives implemented by the DCO to strengthen and develop the digital economy of its members at national level. In a relevant vote, Cyprus was elected as one of the seven members of the Executive Committee of the Organization’s Council.

The DCO is an international organisation, recognised by the UN, that aims to promote a thriving, sustainable, competitive and inclusive global digital economy. It currently has 16 Member States (Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Morocco, Cyprus, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Bangladesh and Qatar), and 51 Observers (businesses, academic institutions and research and innovation organisations) with Observer status. Through collaboration with its Member States, Observers and partners, it has expanded its transformative impact to over 800 million people, with a collective GDP exceeding US$3.5 trillion.