RIYADH — The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) on Wednesday announced the expansion of its membership to include Nortal, a digital transformation company, to work collaboratively on digital inclusion and the empowerment of youth, entrepreneurs, and women in the digital economy.

The DCO is a global multilateral organization established to enable digital prosperity for all, with a focus on digital economy initiatives supporting youth, entrepreneurs, and women.

The DCO has member countries with a combined population of half a billion people, with Nortal joining as an official observer. Nortal is a global technology company with a footprint in 18 countries across Europe, the Middle East and America.

Nortal's membership in the DCO builds on the company's position as a global digital economy leader, and adds to the DCO’s growing international membership base.

DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya said: "We are very pleased to welcome Nortal to the DCO family and look forward to building a constructive partnership together. Nortal’s expertise in e-government, cybersecurity, digital commerce, digital healthcare, and artificial intelligence will be of huge benefit to all DCO member states. Nortal and the DCO share the same global vision of building a seamless digital society where every person has a fair opportunity to prosper. Today's announcement reaffirms the DCO's commitment to multilateral collaboration with governments and private sector organizations across the world to facilitate build an inclusive global digital economy.”

Priit Alame, Nortal Founder and CEO, commented saying, "Over the past 20 years, Nortal has accumulated a unique experience by playing an essential part in Estonian digitalization story. It has continued helping governments, healthcare institutions, and leading businesses all around the world with their digitalization efforts. Thus, we are excited to partner with a global multilateral like the DCO to jointly accelerate the growth of the digital economy and increase social prosperity across the world."

The announcement continues the DCO’s ambitious global membership expansion goals to partner with governments, leading technology companies, and non-profits to create global digital prosperity. The DCO agenda includes high-impact initiatives to enhance cross-border data flows, support for market expansion for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the empowerment of entrepreneurs, women, and youth. — SPA