The ILO and DCO sign a strategic agreement to address the impact of digital transformation on global labour markets. The partnership aims to promote decent work through digital skills, inclusive policies and support for youth, women and vulnerable communities.
GENEVA/RIYADH (ILO News) – In a decisive step to shape a more inclusive and resilient digital future, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly address the profound transformations in labour markets brought by accelerating technological change.
The partnership aims to boost global efforts in building digital capabilities that ensure decent work opportunities for all, with a strong emphasis on empowering youth, women, and underserved communities.
“This MoU marks a vital milestone in aligning digital transformation with human-centered development,” said Dr. Hajar El Haddaoui, Director General of DCO. “Together with the ILO, we are committed to building capacities that ensure the digital economy serves as a force for social inclusion and shared prosperity, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Digital Compact.”
Central to this collaboration are joint initiatives that focus on upskilling, responsible integration of emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence—and designing inclusive digital policies that respond to the needs of the most vulnerable.
“This partnership reflects our shared vision of a future where digital transformation drives social and economic inclusion,” said ILO Deputy Director-General, Celeste Drake. “By combining ILO’s global reach and labour expertise with DCO’s digital economy leadership, we can help shape policies and practices that deliver decent work in the digital age.”
By bringing together ILO’s global normative mandate with DCO’s policy leadership and digital economy reach, the partnership will facilitate co-organized global dialogues, targeted research, and advisory support to member states in crafting future-ready, inclusive labour market frameworks.
The DCO is a global multilateral organization founded in November 2020. It brings together 16 Member States collectively representing more than USD 3.5 trillion in GDP and a population of over 800 million, 70 per cent of whom are under the age of 35. DCO aims to enable digital prosperity for all by unifying efforts to advance digital transformation and promote common interests.
This collaboration reflects both organizations’ commitment to multilateral cooperation and the advancement of decent work, inclusive economic growth, and digital equality across geographies and demographics.
