Kenya’s DCO Membership Bid Gets Approval

Kenya is set to deepen its engagement in the global digital economy after the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) Council approved the country’s candidature for membership, opening the way for its formal accession to the international body.

The approval, made on 28 August, follows nearly two years of work towards Kenya’s accession. Albania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Zambia also received approval for their candidatures. Kenya is not yet a full member of the DCO. The decision starts the formal accession process, with membership taking effect once the country completes its national procedures and deposits its instrument of accession.

For Kenya, the move could strengthen cooperation on digital policy, innovation, skills development and cross-border technology activity while giving the country access to tools and programmes designed to support digital economies.

Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, highlighted the potential benefits in a post announcing the development, pointing to practical digital tools, partnerships and opportunities for entrepreneurs as some of the areas that could benefit from membership.

One of the tools he highlighted is the DCO’s Digital Economy Navigator, which benchmarks countries against 145 indicators. For Kenya, the platform could provide a clearer picture of its digital strengths and identify areas where further policy or infrastructure improvements are needed. The organisation also provides programmes aimed at helping technology companies and entrepreneurs expand into new markets.

Amb. Thigo pointed to the DCO’s STRIDE and InvestConnect programmes, which connect startups and innovators with investors, markets and potential partners. He said participating startups have collectively raised more than $21 million. STRIDE supports startups seeking to scale across borders, while InvestConnect helps connect entrepreneurs to potential investors, markets and business opportunities. The broader significance for Kenya lies in the potential to connect its technology ecosystem with a wider network of countries pursuing digital transformation.

The DCO was established in 2020 by Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Its mandate covers digital policy, trade, skills, innovation and cross-border digital activity, with a broader focus on accelerating inclusive and sustainable growth in the digital economy. The organisation currently has 16 member states representing nearly 800 million people. If the eight newly approved candidatures complete their accession processes, that membership will grow to 24 countries representing approximately 980 million people.

For Kenyan technology companies, the expanded network could create new opportunities for regional collaboration, market access and knowledge exchange. It could also give policymakers greater access to experiences from countries pursuing similar digital transformation agendas. The country has been expanding access to digital services and infrastructure through initiatives including public digital hubs, while digital-skills programmes are aimed at increasing the number of people able to participate in the digital economy.

Kenya is targeting 120,000 people for digital-skills training over three years, reflecting the growing emphasis on building the human capital required to support a digital economy.

Thigo credited the DCO leadership, Kenya’s diplomatic representatives and officials involved in the accession process, including DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya and former Kenyan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohamed Ruwange, as well as Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy William Kabogo.

The next step is for Kenya to complete the required national accession procedures.

Once that process is concluded, membership will give Kenya another platform for shaping and participating in international discussions around the digital economy, while connecting its policymakers, businesses, startups and innovators to a wider digital ecosystem.