Digital Prosperity Awards Garner Global Recognition with Hundreds of Submissions

September 26, 2023

Digital Prosperity Awards Garner Global Recognition with Hundreds of Submissions

Application Deadline Extended to Promote Inclusivity and Global Innovation

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – 26 September 2023: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) has announced an extension of the submission deadline for the Digital Prosperity Awards. The awards have garnered significant attention and interest from the global digital community, spanning government entities, private sector organizations, and civil society groups. This interest has prompted an extension of the application deadline, offering more entities the opportunity to participate.

In August, the DCO initiated the registration process for the Digital Prosperity Awards, inviting participation from public sector, private sector, and civil society organizations from all over the world. These awards aim to acknowledge outstanding digital contributions that drive progress and prosperity, with a particular focus on advancing the digital economy, a pivotal catalyst for sustainable growth on a global scale.

To date, the awards have received submissions from diverse corners of the world, including countries such as Chile, Costa Rica, Malawi, Senegal, and more, showcasing the international momentum behind this initiative. The awards have also received substantial support from ministers and representatives of the DCO’s Member States. In response to this broad interest, the Digital Cooperation Organization has decided to extend the application deadline until October 31st, ensuring that digital projects with the potential to enhance prosperity on a global scale have ample time to participate.

Underlining the swell of governmental support, H.E. Dr. Ghita Mezzour, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Morocco, commented: “In Morocco, we view digital technology as an accelerator of socio-economic development. The Digital Prosperity awards offer an excellent platform to showcase pioneering innovations and enable startups to connect with clients and investors on a global scale.”

Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Honorable Ms. Paula Ingabire, added: “We’re greatly encouraged by Rwanda’s active participation in the Digital Prosperity Awards. Thanks to our partners like the DCO, we’re part of this global initiative promoting digital prosperity. These awards are a fantastic chance for us to showcase our innovations and for our startups to connect with potential clients and investors worldwide. I encourage all our innovators to submit their projects before the nomination deadline.”

The awards reinforce the DCO’s role as a facilitator of digital prosperity, providing a platform where winners and nominees from both the public and private sectors, as well as civil society organizations, can convene and celebrate the remarkable contributions that enable digital prosperity for all.

In addition to recognizing the private sector, the awards aim to emphasize the critical role of the public sector. The highest-scoring participants from each participating Member State will be honored with the title of “Digital Prosperity Awards Ambassador 2024”, recognizing their significant contributions to digital development and innovation.

Among the distinguished panelists judging the award are Daniel Marco, Digital Innovation Senior Advisor for the Government of Catalonia, Spain; Naseer Akhtar, President and CEO of InfoTech Group; and Hani AlGhofaily, Chairman of the Board of the Digital Economy Center in the Saudi Arabia.

“I look forward to evaluating the innovation that appears in the public sector entries, as the public sector everywhere needs an innovation boost, or catalyst, to help unlock the potential of digitalization to have a tangible impact on citizens, ” Marco commented.

Akhtar added, “As technology continues to shape our world, acknowledging excellence in the field of digitalization is crucial. My own personal experience in working to empower financial institutions with cutting-edge applications, means I am keen to explore how the most talented award entrants can foster industry growth in their countries, by establishing connections and fostering collaboration with the private and public sectors.”

“I see so much potential in these awards to demonstrate the fact that given the right tools and access, all nations can forge ahead. We are so connected nowadays, but digital exclusion is a very valid risk if we do not come together as local and global communities to find the innovative projects and people behind them that can help the digital divide,” AlGhofaily concluded.

To learn more about the award categories and the nomination process and submit or nominate a project, please visit the official Digital Prosperity Awards website at www.DigitalProsperityAwards.com

About the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)

The Digital Cooperation Organization is the world’s first standalone international intergovernmental organization focusing on the acceleration of the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. It is a global multilateral organization founded in November 2020 that aims to enable digital prosperity for all by accelerating the inclusive growth of the digital economy.

The DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology of its Member States, and is focused on empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs, leveraging the accelerative power of the digital economy, and leapfrogging with innovation to drive economic growth and increase social prosperity.

Through cooperation and dialogue, we drive the facilitation of mutually advantageous cross-border legislation. The DCO seeks to establish within its Member States the optimal infrastructure and policies for the rapid creation of inclusive and equitable digital economies within which all people, businesses, and societies can innovate and thrive. The DCO’s vision is to work towards a world in which every nation, business and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in the digital economy.

In pursuit of the Member States’ common interests, the DCO works collaboratively with governments, the private sector, international organizations, NGOs and civil society to enable more inclusive digital transformation and the growth of digital industries.

The DCO’s key initiatives include programs to enhance cross-border data flows, promote market expansion for SMEs, empower digital entrepreneurs and advance digital inclusion among women and the youth, and other underrepresented populations.

More information about the DCO can be found at

For media enquiries, please contact media@DCO.org

A press pack with the Secretary-General’s biography, logos and high-resolution images can be found at www.DigitalProsperityAwards.com/media

The Digital Prosperity Awards celebrate global contributions which empower governments, businesses, and communities to collaborate and accelerate digital economic advancement. It will promote projects and organizations embracing digital innovation, whilst doing good for the local and global community to bridge the digital divide. Public, private, and civil society sector organizations can be nominated for or enter an award that will reward their significant contribution to the digital economy of their country, whilst providing a platform for international support and recognition.

To learn more about Digital Prosperity Awards, visit www.DigitalProsperityAwards.com

For media inquiries and further information about the Digital Prosperity Awards, please contact:

Ronak Thakkar FleishmanHillard ronak.thakkar@fleishman.com +971 54 586 9828Yehia Issa FleishmanHillard yehia.issa@fleishman.com +971 55 267 0405