Dhaka: Bangladesh has decided to join the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) initially as an observer, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. This step marks Bangladesh's engagement with global efforts to advance artificial intelligence in a cooperative and regulated manner.
According to United News of Bangladesh, WAICO, headquartered in Shanghai, is an inter-governmental organization established on July 16, 2026. The organization's mission includes enhancing international cooperation on innovation, promoting inclusive development by bridging the global digital divide, and supporting an open, fair, and non-discriminatory environment for global AI development. WAICO also seeks to advance AI regulations to ensure the technology is beneficial and safe for humans.
The establishment of WAICO was formalized on July 16, when representatives from twenty-nine countries signed an agreement in Shanghai. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was among those who signed the agreement on behalf of China. Other signatories included representatives from Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia, and Indonesia, marking them as founding members of WAICO.
The signing ceremony was attended by several international figures, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as reported by Xinhua. The organization pledges to uphold the purposes of the UN Charter, commit to extensive consultation, and encourage joint contributions for mutual benefit while adhering to a people-centered approach.
WAICO's overarching goal is to foster international cooperation and establish global governance on AI. It aims to ensure that AI technologies are beneficial, safe, and fair, thereby promoting their healthy and orderly development for the benefit of all humanity.