Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge attended the 4th General Assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) in Amman, Jordan. He spoke in the session dedicated to exchanges of views between DCO member and guest Sstates and invited international organisations. The Deputy Secretary General stressed that digital innovation and development must always put people first. He called on the states and international partners to "make AI and digital technologies safe, responsible, inclusive, and innovative", noting that "today's technological revolution is an ethical revolution for everyone".
The Deputy Secretary General voiced the same messages in a keynote speech delivered at a round table dedicated to the EU-DCO cooperation. He pointed to the fact that the Council of Europe's legal instruments are open to states from all regions, creating opportunities for co-operation in AI, cybercrime, data protection and more critical digital areas. He called on all to join the Council of Europe ‒ through key instruments like the Framework Convention on AI and the Cybercrime Convention ‒ so we can shape our digital future together in line with the respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
In the margins of the DCO General Assembly, the Deputy Secretary General met with Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Affairs of Poland. They exchanged views on the issues of cybersecurity and in particular on the need to protect European democratic institutions from cyberattacks, disinformation and digital manipulation.
In the margins of the event, the Deputy Secretary General also held many bilateral exchanges with Ministers, heads and representatives of international organisations and representatives of the business sector in the field of new technologies.
During his stay in Jordan, the Deputy Secretary General had a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ambassador Majed T. Al-Qatarneh with whom he discussed the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and the possible solutions for a durable peace in the region. They also exchanged on a good technical cooperation between Jordan and the Council of Europe in areas such as data protection, anti-corruption and cybercrime.
