The Montgomery Summit• Mar 16, 2026• 28:49InterviewInterview

3rd Annual Technology Diplomacy Award: A Conversation with H.E. Deemah AlYahya

From The Montgomery Summit · 2026

Deemah AlYahya•Founding Secretary-General, Digital Cooperation Organization

Executive Summary

Geopolitical conflict in the Middle East poses a severe threat to critical digital infrastructure, particularly the 17 submarine cable systems in the Red Sea, risking a "digital crisis" with significant humanitarian and economic consequences.
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), led by Deemah AlYahya, is a rapidly growing international body (16 member states, 10 more joining) pioneering a new, agile model of multilateralism to foster equitable growth in the digital economy.
"Tech Diplomacy" is presented as an essential new discipline for navigating the intersection of technology and foreign policy, requiring faster, more practical cooperation than traditional government treaties allow.
Solving the digital divide requires moving beyond connectivity to address adoption challenges, as illustrated by Rwanda, which has 99% connectivity but only 13% active online adoption due to affordability issues.

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Concerns Raised

The physical vulnerability of critical digital infrastructure (submarine cables, data centers) in conflict zones.
The potential for a regional conflict to trigger a global "digital crisis" with severe humanitarian impact.
The persistent digital divide, where high connectivity does not automatically translate to high adoption or economic prosperity.
The slow pace of traditional multilateralism is ill-suited for the rapid evolution of technology.

Opportunities Identified

The DCO's agile, results-oriented model of multilateral cooperation can accelerate digital economic growth for member nations.
Connecting countries with complementary strengths to solve specific digital adoption challenges (e.g., using Pakistan's low-cost device solutions in Rwanda).
The growing influence of the DCO, with 10 additional countries in the process of joining, creates a significant bloc for digital cooperation.
Developing practical, ethical AI toolkits to guide innovation and policy in emerging economies.

Key Themes

The Geopolitics of Digital Infrastructure

The discussion highlights the physical vulnerability of the global digital backbone. The concentration of submarine cables in conflict zones like the Red Sea, coupled with physical attacks on data centers, reframes digital infrastructure as a new front in geopolitical competition and a potential humanitarian chokepoint.

This shifts the perception of digital connectivity from a commercial utility to a critical, fragile resource essential for banking, healthcare, and education, requiring new security and diplomatic considerations.

A New Model for Multilateralism

The DCO is positioned as an alternative to slow-moving, traditional international bodies. Its governance model, featuring rotating presidencies and a focus on connecting countries with complementary strengths, is designed for the high speed of the technology sector, prioritizing actionable outcomes over declarations.

This offers a potential blueprint for more effective international cooperation on technology policy and economic development, bypassing the gridlock that often plagues global governance efforts in areas like AI.

Bridging the Digital Prosperity Gap

The conversation emphasizes that digital equity is about more than just internet access; it's about adoption and the ability to prosper. The example of Rwanda, with near-universal connectivity but low adoption, illustrates that affordability, skills, and relevant use cases are critical for technology to translate into broad economic benefits.

This insight is crucial for policymakers and businesses, indicating that successful digital transformation strategies must be holistic and human-centric, focusing on the end-to-end user journey.

The Rise of Tech Diplomacy

The event frames tech diplomacy as the necessary bridge between the worlds of technology and foreign policy. It is defined as the practice of guiding governments, companies, and society through the profound geopolitical and economic shifts driven by frontier technologies like AI.

This recognizes that technology companies are now major geopolitical actors and that technology itself is a core element of international relations, requiring a new diplomatic skillset and dedicated institutions to manage effectively.

Diverging Paths in AI Governance

The dialogue touches on the fragmented global approach to AI governance, noting the U.S. position against a single global framework, the UN's creation of an expert panel, and the DCO's plurilateral approach. Under Pakistan's presidency, the DCO is focusing on "AI for the good of humanity" by developing practical tools like an ethical AI toolkit.

This highlights that while a universal AI treaty is unlikely, a multi-track system of governance is emerging, where different blocs of nations will create interoperable or competing standards, impacting global businesses.

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Topics

Tech Diplomacy Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)Geopolitics Middle East Digital Infrastructure Submarine Cables Red Sea AI Governance Multilateralism Digital Divide Digital Economy Saudi Arabia Pakistan Rwanda Humanitarian Impact

Processed Apr 19, 2026 yt-dlp + mlx-whisper + Gemini