Riyadh, February 16, 2023, SPA -- The Kingdom of Bahrain has officially been appointed to the Presidency of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the global, multilateral organization dedicated to accelerating the inclusive growth of the digital economy to create digital prosperity for all. His Excellency Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Kingdom of Bahrain, will become the new Chairman of the Council of the DCO. As represented by the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications (MTT), Bahrain will oversee the strategic direction of the DCO for the coming year and support the ongoing execution of the key initiatives and programs that have been launched by the DCO. The Kingdom of Bahrain has strong ambitions to be a regional leader in the digital economy and has implemented a number of projects and initiatives to create the foundation for digital growth. The government of Bahrain has developed a robust regulatory environment, including personal data protection, data jurisdiction, intellectual property and eTransaction laws to support the Kingdom’s digital economy. The country ranked in the Very High scoring category of the 2022 United Nation’s E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2022. Bahrain has also developed advanced FinTech policies, and its FinTech Bay is one of the leading centers for innovation in financial technology for MENA region. Amazon Web Services also chose Bahrain as the home of their new hyperscale Cloud Region, their first in the Middle East and North Africa. His Excellency Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, commented on the ascension of Bahrain to the Presidency: “The Kingdom of Bahrain is honoured to have been elected to the prestigious role of Presidency of the DCO. Bahrain has put great focus on developing the regulatory framework, policies, and infrastructure that have enabled the Kingdom to establish an efficient and attractive digital ecosystem for businesses. Bahrain is ready to share its expertise and best practices with the Member States of the DCO, to enhance the mission of empowering all nations to build digital economies that drive growth and development.” H.E Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO welcomed the appointment of Bahrain to the DCO Presidency and of H.E. Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi to Chairman of the DCO Council: “We are very pleased to announce that the Kingdom of Bahrain has been ratified to the Presidency of the DCO for 2023. The leadership of the Kingdom of Bahrain has long understood the potential of technology to advance economic growth, and the necessity of using policy and regulation to enable the framework for the digital economy to flourish and grow. Bahrain was one of the founding nations of the DCO, and now, under the Presidency of Bahrain and the wise Chairmanship of His Excellency Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, we look forward to making great progress towards our goal of digital prosperity for all in 2023.” The ascension of Bahrain to the Presidency of the DCO was ratified during the second DCO General Assembly which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 5th of February. The General Assembly, the first-ever in-person meeting of all of the DCO nations, brought together Member States, along with Observer Partners and other stakeholders, in a forum for dialogue, knowledge sharing and cooperation on building effective and inclusive digital economies. As the holder of the Presidency, Bahrain will host the next General Assembly. About DCO The DCO is a global multilateral organization founded in November 2020 that aims to enable digital prosperity for all by accelerating the inclusive growth of the digital economy. The DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and IT of 13 nations – Bahrain, Cyprus, Djibouti, The Gambia, Ghana, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Jordan, Rwanda and Saudi Arabia – that collectively represent nearly $2 trillion in GDP and a market of nearly 600 million people, more than 70% of whom are under the age of 35. The DCO is focused on empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs, leveraging the accelerative power of the digital economy and leapfrogging with innovation to drive economic growth and increase social prosperity. Through cooperation, dialogue, and the creation of mutually advantageous cross-border legislation, we seek to establish within our member nations the optimal infrastructure and policies for the rapid creation of inclusive and equitable digital economies within which all people, businesses and societies can innovate and thrive. In pursuit of our members’ common interests - for example, in the areas of digital skills training, data protection, intellectual copyright, regulation, taxation and entrepreneurship - DCO works collaboratively with governments, the private sector, international organizations, NGOs and civil society to enable more inclusive digital transformation and the growth of digital industries. The DCO’s key initiatives include programs to enhance cross-border data flows, promote market expansion for SMEs, empower digital entrepreneurs and advance digital inclusion among women and youth and other underrepresented populations. More information about DCO can be found atwww.dco.orgwww.twitter.com/dcorgwww.linkedin.com/company/dcorg --SPA 15:52 LOCAL TIME 12:52 GMT 0018 www.spa.gov.sa/w1855128