By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) has called for coordinated
multistakeholder action to strengthen the resilience and security of civilian
digital ecosystems amid rising global digital risks and crisis-related
disruptions.
The
call was made during the launch of a new report titled “Civilian Digital
Ecosystems at the Core: Safeguarding During Crisis,” released in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, as part of ongoing efforts to advance international digital cooperation
and promote trusted and resilient digital systems.
The
report, issued by the Digital Cooperation Organization, highlights increasing
threats to civilian digital infrastructure, including the manipulation of
emergency information, impersonation of official communication channels, the
spread of AI-generated misinformation, and cyberattacks targeting essential
digital systems.
It
further warns that the growing reliance on digital platforms for essential
public services has made the protection of civilian digital ecosystems a
critical global priority, extending beyond technical concerns into broader
societal and developmental responsibilities.
The
report outlines a framework for coordinated action focused on four key areas:
strengthening the resilience of civilian digital infrastructure, enhancing
public trust, improving knowledge-sharing on emerging risks, and ensuring
continuity of digital services during crises.
According
to DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya, crises today increasingly extend into
digital systems that underpin everyday civilian life, making their protection
an urgent global imperative requiring immediate collective action.
The
report is intended as a reference for governments, international organizations,
private sector actors, academia, digital platforms, and civil society,
encouraging a unified approach to safeguarding digital ecosystems through
enhanced cooperation and shared responsibility.
The
DCO has urged stakeholders to adopt the report’s recommendations and has
reaffirmed its commitment to supporting implementation through policy guidance,
data-driven insights, and digital tools designed to strengthen digital
resilience globally.
