Riyadh: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) convened Diplomats, ambassadors, policymakers, and technology leaders in Riyadh for the fifth edition of Diplomatic Connect, a platform for dialogue on tech diplomacy. With more than 122 million people displaced by conflict or crisis globally, the event was held under the theme “Rebuilding Through Technology: A Blueprint for Digital Resilience and Peace” to address the need for practical digital resilience, which has never been more urgent.
The event, co-hosted by the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Saudi Arabia, was held in the presence of Sheikh Subah Nasser Subah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, and Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO, and featured a keynote address by Lord Ed Vaizey, former UK Minister for Culture and Digital Economy, and a leading international voice on digital cooperation.
The discussions drew on real-world examples that are already delivering results. In Ukraine, the Diia platform has enabled more than 20 million citizens to access over 100 public services digitally, sustaining continuity during conflict. In Jordan, blockchain-based mobile wallets deliver aid with transparency and efficiency to more than 300,000 refugees. In Syria, UNICEF-supported digital classrooms are reconnecting displaced children to education. In Rwanda, digital transformation has helped rebuild trust and services, underpinning a thriving technology sector often described as Africa’s tech hub.
“Kuwait has always believed that diplomacy and dialogue are the foundation of peace. By hosting this edition of Diplomatic Connect, we are proud to provide a platform where ambassadors and international partners can explore how digital tools can strengthen resilience, restore trust, and support societies on their path to stability,” Sheikh Subah Nasser Subah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, said.
“The theme we are discussing tonight, Technology for Rebuilding – Digital Tools for Post-Conflict Resilience, is timely given the current global status. Around the world, over 122 million people are currently displaced by conflict or crisis. They tear through institutions, sever trust, displace families, and upend economies. But in these moments of disruption, there is also a unique opportunity: the chance not only to rebuild but to redesign, to reimagine systems that serve people better than they did before,” Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO, said.
“Multilateral action will be critical. But not any multilateral action. We need agile, nimble and practical multilateralism to cope with the rapidly evolving digital age. We need to strengthen partnerships across governments, tech companies, academia and civil society to ensure that the promise of digital transformation reaches those who need it most, and to do so in ways that respect rights, build trust, and protect the most vulnerable.”
“Technology is one of the most powerful tools we have to rebuild societies. From restoring essential services to creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs, digital innovation provides hope even in the most fragile circumstances. I am delighted to join this discussion in Riyadh and to highlight how international cooperation can make that promise a reality,” Lord Ed Vaizey, former UK Minister for Culture and Digital Economy, said.
Ambassadors from DCO Member States and international partners joined the discussion on how digital innovation can restore services, rebuild trust, and empower communities in a conversation under Chatham House Rules.
