Twenty-nine countries sign agreement to establish World AI Cooperation Organization
Twenty-nine countries have signed an agreement establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, an intergovernmental body that will be headquartered in Shanghai.
Twenty-nine countries have signed an agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). The signing ceremony took place in Shanghai on 16 July 2026, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed the agreement on behalf of China. WAICO will operate as an independent intergovernmental international organisation headquartered in Shanghai.
Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia were among the countries identified as founding members. UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the ceremony, alongside representatives of participating countries and international organisations.
According to the agreement, the organisation will follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and adopt a people-centred approach to AI.
WAICO will focus on international cooperation and the global governance of AI. Its stated objectives include supporting the development of AI that is beneficial, safe and fair, and promoting its orderly use for the benefit of humanity.
