Pakistan has signed the founding agreement of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Agency (WAICO), becoming one of the 29 founding members of the new intergovernmental artificial intelligence (AI) agency headquartered in Shanghai.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement along with representatives of countries including China, Kazakhstan, Laos, Russia and Indonesia, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, China Economic Network (CEN) reported on Friday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed on behalf of Beijing. The ceremony was attended by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and representatives from various countries and international organizations.
The agreement defines WAICO as an independent intergovernmental organization aimed at promoting international AI cooperation and global governance.
According to the ministry, it aims to support the development of AI that is beneficial, safe, and fair.
In an X post on Thursday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country will use its membership to promote AI cooperation from a Global South perspective and work with other member states to narrow the global AI gap and promote more equitable access to technology.
“Participation in WAICO is a very positive step for Pakistan. Pakistan-China cooperation in AI will be further strengthened,” Yasar Ayaz, Chairman and Central Project Director of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), told CEN in a written interview.
Pakistan approved the National AI Policy in 2025, designating the technology as a national priority. In February, the government pledged to invest $1 billion by 2030 to expand sovereign computing infrastructure and research alongside a national skills program.
Earlier this year, Pakistan joined the China-backed Initiative on Sovereign AI, which focuses on strengthening state control over AI systems, data, and infrastructure.
During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China in May, Pakistan formally supported China’s proposal to establish WAICO, and the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in the areas of artificial intelligence, digital economy, technological innovation, and human resource development.
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China
