Lebanon Signs DCO Charter, Boosting Digital Cooperation

Lebanon has signed the Charter of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), becoming a Signatory Member and taking a key step toward completing its accession as a Member State.

The Charter was signed by Lebanese Minister of Displaced and Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Dr. Kamal Shehadi during a ceremony at DCO headquarters. He formally handed the signed Charter to DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya.

Alongside the signing, Lebanon and the DCO launched the Lebanon Digital Prosperity Plan (DPP), a framework designed to turn the country’s digital priorities into practical initiatives and measurable results.

The plan focuses on digital policy, infrastructure and connectivity, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation and investment. It also aims to strengthen cooperation between Lebanon, DCO Member States and international partners.

Dr. Shehadi said the signing represented a strategic step in Lebanon’s efforts to build a more competitive digital economy and connect with regional and global opportunities.

He said cooperation through the DCO and the Digital Prosperity Plan would help accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies and AI, strengthen national capabilities, support startups and entrepreneurs, and attract strategic investment.

DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya welcomed Lebanon as a signatory, highlighting the country’s technology sector, universities and global Lebanese diaspora as important assets.

She said the Digital Prosperity Plan would be a key test of the partnership because it sets out specific areas of cooperation and is designed around measurable results rather than announcements.

The DPP was jointly developed by Lebanon and the DCO to align the country’s digital transformation priorities with DCO expertise and international partnerships.

Lebanon’s digital economy already has a significant foundation for further development. Internet penetration reached approximately 91% in 2024, while the country has around 550 information and communications technology companies and a strong pool of technical, entrepreneurial and creative talent.

The signing follows the DCO’s announcement that its Council had approved the candidacy of eight new countries to join the organization, further expanding its international membership.