KUWAIT CITY, November 3: Zain welcomed the Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), H.E. Deemah Al-Yahya, and her accompanying delegation to the Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC) at the company’s headquarters in Shuwaikh. The meeting was attended by CEO Nawaf Al-Gharabally and other senior executives to discuss initiatives for accelerating the digital economy and enhancing the innovation ecosystem in member states, including Kuwait.

This visit was part of the DCO’s recent tour in the country, which included meetings with ministers and key government and private sector officials ahead of Kuwait’s upcoming presidency of the organization in 2025.

The meeting featured a showcase and exchange of successful experiences across several development areas, particularly in digital economy acceleration, creating a supportive entrepreneurial environment, empowering innovators, enhancing the culture of innovation, leading women’s empowerment initiatives, expanding social responsibility programs, and discussing various efforts to stimulate economic and social growth.

Furthermore, discussions were held on future collaboration between Zain and the Digital Cooperation Organization to serve shared goals, leveraging digital transformation initiatives and private sector expertise to advance digitization strategies in the public sector, and investing in human capital, particularly in modern technological fields such as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, to achieve sustainable growth.

Zain took this opportunity to showcase the success story of its award-winning accelerator, Zain Great Idea (ZGI), which established itself as one of the most impactful business accelerators locally and regionally for over 14 years. ZGI has provided numerous opportunities for hundreds of ambitious entrepreneurs and startups, connecting many with leading tech companies and organizations in places like Silicon Valley, to gain first-hand experience.

Through this program, Zain aims to empower Kuwait’s tech startup ecosystem and foster an innovation-driven environment that creates tangible economic and social impact. This step also translates the company’s strategic plans as a business that seeks promising opportunities for diversification and sustainable growth in a highly competitive market.

The Digital Cooperation Organization is a global multilateral entity founded in November 2020, dedicated to fostering inclusive digital prosperity by accelerating the growth of the digital economy.

The DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology of member states, focusing on empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs, harnessing the accelerating power of the digital economy, and embracing innovation to drive economic growth and enhance social prosperity.

The DCO brings together the ICT ministries of 16 member states, including Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia. Collectively, these nations represent a combined GDP exceeding $3.5 trillion and a market of approximately 800 million people, over 70% of whom are under the age of 35.

Through cooperation, dialogue, and cross-border policy initiatives, the DCO aims to create optimal frameworks and infrastructure within member states to enable the rapid establishment of inclusive and equitable digital economies where people, businesses, and communities can thrive.

In pursuit of common interests, the DCO collaborates with governments, the private sector, international organizations, NGOs, and civil society to support more inclusive digital transformation and the growth of digital industries.