The Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) has launched a new guidebook to help governments turn ethical artificial intelligence principles into practical public policy, unveiling the publication in Geneva alongside the first United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance.
As governments around the world move from debating AI ethics to building regulatory frameworks, the challenge is no longer defining principles but translating them into laws, institutions and governance models that can keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. Cyprus, which joined the DCO as part of its broader strategy to strengthen international cooperation on digital transformation, is among the organisation’s member states.
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A Policy Blueprint For The AI Era
The DCO launched the DCO Ethical AI Guidebook for Policymakers on July 8 during a session organised with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).
The event, titled “Responsible, Trusted, and Safe AI for Prosperity: From Principles to Practice,” took place on the sidelines of the United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, held in Geneva on July 6 and July 7, 2026.
According to the DCO, the session brought together policymakers, international organisations, industry leaders, academics, civil society representatives and technical experts to examine how countries can accelerate the responsible adoption of AI through practical governance, capacity building and cross-border collaboration.
From Principles To Implementation
Designed for governments, regulators and national AI task forces, the guidebook aims to help translate high-level ethical commitments into legislation, national strategies and governance structures that support innovation while maintaining trust and accountability.
According to the DCO, the publication builds on its Principles for Ethical AI and the Riyadh AI Call to Action Declaration and forms part of a broader policy toolkit intended to strengthen national AI readiness and support more consistent policymaking across jurisdictions.
That toolkit also includes the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator, the AI-REAL Toolkit and Web Portal, and the Digital Economy Navigator. Together, these resources are designed to strengthen institutional capacity, reinforce trust and support evidence-based policymaking and investment decisions.
Why Global AI Governance Still Faces A Capacity Gap
Speaking during the main programme of the UN Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya said more needs to be done to ensure that the “World Digital Majority” has a meaningful role in shaping the rules that will govern the next generation of AI.
“The architecture of the AI age is being drawn right now, and more than half the world’s nations are not holding the pen.”
In her view, the greatest challenge is not reaching agreement on ethical principles but giving governments the capacity to implement them effectively.
“The world does not lack principles. We agree AI must be responsible, trustworthy and inclusive. What the world lacks is the capacity to act on them.”
She said the new guidebook is intended to help close that gap by providing governments with practical tools to develop effective AI governance and ensure the technology becomes a driver of digital prosperity rather than fragmented regulation.
A Growing Multilateral Player In Digital Policy
Established in 2020, the Digital Cooperation Organisation describes itself as the world’s first standalone international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to accelerating the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy.
Its 16 member states represent a combined economy of nearly $3.5 trillion and a market of more than 800 million people, with over 70% of the population under the age of 35. Against that backdrop, the organisation argues that effective AI governance will be just as important as technological innovation in ensuring long-term economic and social development.
