Digital cooperation Archives | Page 12 of 230

Azerbaijan advances digital diplomacy agenda

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan has highlighted the growing role of AI and digital technologies in diplomacy, according to an official publication. The discussion reflects wider efforts to modernise diplomatic practices.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan emphasised that digital tools are increasingly shaping communication, policy coordination and international engagement. AI is seen as part of this evolving diplomatic environment.

The publication underlines the importance of adapting institutional frameworks and skills to keep pace with technological changes such as AI developments. This includes strengthening digital capabilities within diplomatic services.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan presents these developments as part of broader efforts to integrate digital innovation into foreign policy in Azerbaijan.

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Hong Kong and China cyberspace authority sign AI and blockchain cooperation deal

The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee, met the Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Zhuang Rongwen, in Hong Kong to discuss cooperation in innovation and technology.

During the meeting, officials from the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and the CAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on innovation and technology development. The agreement covers areas including AI, cross-border data flow and blockchain.

The MOU aims to support the development of Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre. It also focuses on strengthening cybersecurity cooperation and promoting the digital economy through technological development.

Officials said the agreement aligns with China’s national development plans and supports Hong Kong’s integration into broader economic strategies. It also highlights plans to enhance international exchanges and technology-driven economic growth.

The Chief Executive said Hong Kong will continue to expand its role as a technology and investment hub under the ‘one country, two systems’ framework. The CAC said the partnership will support long-term innovation and development goals.

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World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit opens in Hong Kong

The 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit has opened in Hong Kong, hosted by the World Internet Conference, organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau.

The Hong Kong government says the two-day summit is expected to bring together around 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries and regions, including government and business leaders, representatives of international organisations, and experts and scholars.

The programme includes remarks by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and World Internet Conference Chairman and Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China Zhuang Rongwen, alongside other invited speakers from government, industry, and international organisations.

A ministerial meeting was convened during the summit, with officials and representatives of international organisations discussing topics including how AI can support high-quality economic growth. The programme also includes a government-enterprise dialogue and a main forum focused on the digital economy, innovation, and technology development.

Six sub-forums are scheduled as part of the summit, covering innovation and application of AI agents, digital finance, AI security and governance, AI for a better life, digital and intelligent health, and digital transformation and dissemination of classical texts.

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UNESCO to unveil AI in education observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean

UNESCO will launch the Observatory on AI in Education for Latin America and the Caribbean at a high-level event during the 2026 Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, organised by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The observatory is intended to support states in integrating AI into education systems across the region. UNESCO says the initiative is being developed with regional and international partners, including the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the National Centre for AI of Chile, the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society of Brazil, and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

UNESCO describes the observatory as a regional cooperation platform bringing together knowledge production, institutional strengthening, and technical assistance in response to the growing use of AI in teaching, learning, and educational management. Its work covers research and policy, capacity development, innovation, and regional collaboration.

The organisation says the observatory will support comparative analysis, identify opportunities and risks, and assist in the design of regulatory frameworks, national strategies, and pilot initiatives. It also presents the launch as a coordination space for ministries of education, universities, research centres, the technology sector, civil society, and multilateral organisations.

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EU launches Mediterranean digital programme to support governance, cybersecurity and skills

The European Commission has launched a digital transformation programme for countries in North Africa and the Middle East, marking the first digital initiative under the Pact for the Mediterranean.

EU aims to support inclusive and sustainable growth by improving access to digital services and strengthening regulatory alignment.

The initiative focuses on enhancing digital governance by aligning telecommunications regulations with the EU standards and strengthening national regulatory authorities. It also promotes regional cooperation by creating coordinated networks across participating countries.

Cybersecurity forms a central component, with measures designed to improve national frameworks and institutional capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats.

Additionally, the programme advances digital skills development based on EU competency frameworks, supporting long-term capacity development.

Such an approach reflects a broader policy objective to foster regional digital integration, strengthen institutional resilience and promote secure and inclusive digital transformation across neighbouring regions.

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Serpro joins Brazil-China AI cooperation protocol

Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Serpro, and the Chinese company iFlytek have signed a cooperation protocol on AI focused on building national capabilities for the functioning of the state.

According to Serpro, the protocol forms part of broader Brazil–China cooperation in science and technology. Acting Minister Luis Fernandes said the initiative aims to foster joint technology development and knowledge transfer with Brazil, with implications for digital sovereignty.

The protocol sets guidelines for cooperation in research, development, and capacity-building in AI, with a focus on large language models adapted to Brazilian Portuguese, translation and accessibility systems, cybersecurity applications, and AI infrastructure in Brazil. Serpro said the initiative also covers data centres, secure cloud, and interoperable data platforms.

Serpro will lead the technical execution of the initiative. The company said its role is to connect research, public policy, and delivery of public services, and added that it already has more than 300 AI-based solutions in its portfolio. The protocol also provides for training measures, including researcher exchanges, courses, technical visits, and scholarships.

The Serpro announcement states that initiatives under the protocol will depend on specific instruments to be concluded between the participants. It also presents the partnership as part of a broader effort to strengthen Brazil’s AI technical capacity through international cooperation.

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Human work roles shift alongside AI

Reporting by The Korea Herald highlights that AI is increasingly reshaping workplace expectations, with employees adapting how they approach tasks and productivity. The shift reflects broader changes in how work is organised and delivered.

The article indicates that workers are using AI tools to improve efficiency while also reassessing workloads and job design. This is leading to a growing focus on balancing automation with human input.

At the same time, organisations are being pushed to rethink management structures, accountability and skills development. The integration of AI is influencing both individual roles and wider organisational strategies.

The Korea Herald suggests that long-term success will depend on how effectively businesses align AI adoption with workforce needs and sustainable work practices globally.

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Geneva Cyber Week to bring diplomacy, cyber policy, and AI security debates together

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs will co-host Geneva Cyber Week from 4 to 8 May 2026, bringing policymakers, diplomats, technical experts, industry leaders, academics, and civil society representatives to venues across Geneva and online for a week of discussions on cyber stability, resilience, governance, digitalisation, and the security implications of emerging technologies, including AI.

Returning after its inaugural edition, the event is being positioned as a response to a more fragile cyber and geopolitical environment. Held under the theme ‘Advancing Global Cooperation in Cyberspace’, Geneva Cyber Week 2026 comes at a moment of mounting cyber insecurity, intensifying geopolitical tension, and rapid technological change, with organisers framing the gathering as a space for more practical cooperation across diplomatic, technical, operational, and policy communities.

“Cybersecurity is no longer a niche technical issue; it is a strategic policy challenge with implications for international peace, economic stability and public trust. At a moment of growing fragmentation and accelerating technological change, Geneva Cyber Week brings together the communities that need to be in the room — diplomatic, technical, operational and policy — to move from shared concern to practical cooperation,” said Dr Giacomo Persi Paoli, Head of Security and Technology Programme at UNIDIR.

The programme will feature nearly 90 events and reinforce Geneva’s role as a centre for cyber diplomacy, international cooperation, and digital governance. Scheduled sessions include UNIDIR’s Cyber Stability Conference, Peak Incident Response organised by the Swiss CSIRT Forum, Digital International Geneva, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity, and a Council of Europe session titled ‘Artificial Intelligence, Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence: Risks, Opportunities, and Global Cooperation’.

The week will also include partner-led panels, workshops, simulations, exhibitions, and networking events to connect specialist communities that do not always work in the same room. That broader structure reflects an effort to treat cyber issues not only as a technical or security matter but also as a governance, trust-building, and international-coordination challenge.

“At a time when digital threats know no borders, fostering inclusive discussions is essential to building trust, advancing common norms, and promoting a secure and open cyberspace for all. International Geneva provides an unparalleled multilateral environment to address these cybersecurity challenges collectively. Geneva Cyber Week’s diverse programme embodies this collaborative spirit,” said Marina Wyss Ross, Deputy Head of International Security Division and Chief of Section for Arms Control, Disarmament and Cybersecurity at the Swiss FDFA.

Across the city, Geneva will also mark the week visually, including flags on the Mont Blanc Bridge and special illumination of the Jet d’Eau on Monday evening. But beyond the symbolism, the event’s significance lies in how it seeks to bring cyber diplomacy, incident response, governance debates, and emerging technology risks into the same international conversation.

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European Business Council in Japan holds first cybersecurity conference in Tokyo

Tokyo hosted a cybersecurity conference organised by the European Business Council in Japan (EBC) Digital Committee on 7 April. The event took place at the EU Delegation in Tokyo.

The conference was the EBC Digital Committee’s first event. It brought together experts from the public and private sectors to exchange views on cybersecurity challenges and policy developments.

Speakers included Luis Miguel Vega Fidalgo from the European Commission, Satoshi D. from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Amelia Alder from Knorr-Bremse. A question-and-answer session followed their presentations.

Participants continued discussions during a networking reception after the session. The Digital Committee co-chairs, Wataru Suzuki and Felix von Helden, thanked the speakers and organisers, including Peter Fatelnig from the EU Delegation to Japan.

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Digital Public Goods Alliance roadmap incorporates UNESCO Open Solutions

UNESCO announced that its Open Solutions have been included in the Digital Public Goods Alliance’s roadmap as part of its membership.

Roadmap activities focus on Open Solutions supporting knowledge ecosystems and information resilience by advancing Open Educational Resources as digital public goods, mainstreaming equitable open access to knowledge ecosystems, unlocking open data for research and learning, and strengthening Free and Open Source Software, according to UNESCO.

Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, said: ‘The inclusion of UNESCO’s Open Solutions— Open Educational Resources, Open Access, Open Data and Free and Open Source Software— in the Digital Public Goods Alliance roadmap, underscores our commitment to knowledge as a public good and to multilateral cooperation. Through these open systems, UNESCO supports Member States in expanding access to information and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.’

UNESCO said its Open Solutions support the discovery, use, and adaptation of digital public goods that help reduce structural barriers to knowledge. It added that they prioritise multilingual access, equitable participation, and the reuse of educational, scientific, and public-interest resources.

UNESCO described the Digital Public Goods Alliance as a multistakeholder initiative that supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by advancing the discovery, development, use, and investment in digital public goods. It said these include open source software, open data, open AI models, and open content that adhere to applicable laws and best practices, are designed to do no harm, and contribute to sustainable development.

Liv Marte Nordhaug, Chief Executive Officer of the Digital Public Goods Alliance Secretariat, said: ‘Through its Open Solutions, UNESCO is advancing open and inclusive knowledge ecosystems while strengthening the development and adoption of digital public goods that expand access to shared, interoperable resources and enable equitable participation in the digital age.’

UNESCO also said its engagement in the alliance contributes to implementing the UN Global Digital Compact and the United Nations Pact for the Future, reaffirming that knowledge, and the digital systems that underpin it, must remain a global public good, governed in the public interest, anchored in international human rights standards, and accessible to all without discrimination.

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