Pakistan Will Host its First Digital Foreign Direct Investment Summit In April
Pakistan demonstrated its dedication to digital transformation at the 4th General Assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), held at the Dead Sea in Jordan.
Under the leadership of Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Pakistan’s delegation participated in high-level conversations to advance its digital agenda.
At this event, Minister Shaza Khawaja announced that Pakistan will host its inaugural Digital Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Summit from April 29-30 in Islamabad, co-organized by the government, DCO, and the World Economic Forum (WEF). This summit seeks to attract global investors and technology leaders interested in exploring Pakistan’s digital economy opportunities.
Mehwish Salman Ali, founder and CEO of Data Vault, represented Pakistan on the “Connecting AI Startups” panel at the International Digital Cooperation Forum (IDCF), one of the key events under the DCO General Assembly. At IDCF, she highlighted Pakistan as a hub for world-class AI talent while unwrapping plans for Pakistan’s inaugural AI Innovation Center led by Data Vault that will aim to accelerate startups, foster innovation, and integrate Pakistani solutions into the global market.
Strategic Engagements and Partnerships
While attending the Assembly, Mehwish Salman Ali held several high-level meetings aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s digital collaborations:
Meeting With Elm: Discussions with Hakeem AbdulAziz Alrasheed, General Manager of Saudi Arabia’s leading technology company Elm, focused on potential collaboration opportunities related to AI and digital security.
Dialogue with Fit4Internet: Conversations with Mag. Ulrike Domany-Funtan, General Secretary of Fit4Internet, focused on AI-powered digital literacy and cybersecurity initiatives.
Bilateral Talks with Portugal: Discussions with Alberto Rodrigues da Silva, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Modernization and Digitalization, explored collaboration in artificial intelligence research, development, and innovation.
Dr. Ali bin Amer al Shidhani of Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology issued an open invitation for us to establish a Data Vault office there, to develop AI-powered solutions to serve regional and global markets.
Khawaja highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to digital transformation, noting the recent passage of the National Digital Pakistan Act, which seeks to digitize the economy, governance, and society in Pakistan. She further mentioned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointing a National Digital Commission that oversees the development of digital infrastructure as well as promoting technological investment in Pakistan.
