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Diplomatic Correspondent
Dhaka: Bangladesh has officially announced the decision to join the China-led World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) as an observer, according to a statement posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ verified Facebook page on Saturday (August 1).
WAICO, officially launched on July 16 with 29 founding member countries, is headquartered in Shanghai. The organization aims to deepen international cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), bridge the global digital divide to promote inclusive development, support an open, impartial, and non-discriminatory environment for global AI advancement, and develop regulatory frameworks to ensure that AI remains safe, beneficial, and people-centered.
Last month, Shanghai hosted the World AI Conference (WAIC) and a high-level meeting on global AI governance. The event brought together heads of government, the UN Secretary-General, and representatives from around 100 countries and international organizations. During a high-level session of the conference, China officially announced the formation of WAICO with its initial 29 member states.
The founding members include Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Senegal, and several other countries from the Global South, comprising developing, least-developed, and emerging economies. Bangladesh was represented at the conference by State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Fakir Mahbub Anam.
Bangladesh’s announcement comes on the same day that Sergio Gor, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy, met with Prime Minister Tarek Rahman in Dhaka to discuss cooperation in the information technology (IT) sector.
Diplomatic sources said that on July 22, during the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. During the meeting, Wang Yi invited Bangladesh to join WAICO.
On Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides reviewed the implementation of decisions made during the Bangladeshi Prime Minister’s recent visit to China and also discussed Bangladesh’s participation in WAICO.
The World AI Conference in Shanghai last month attracted representatives from approximately 100 countries and organizations, including heads of government and the United Nations Secretary-General, highlighting growing international interest in global AI governance and cooperation.