Cuba Joins WAICO as New Founding Member of Global AI Cooperation Body

Cuba became a founding member of the World Association for Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (WAICO) when its communications minister Mayra Arevich Marín led a delegation that signed the constitutive agreement at the World AI Conference in Shanghai on 16 July 2026. The new inter‑governmental organisation, presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping, brings together 29 sovereign states—including Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Brazil, Venezuela, ten African nations and twelve Asian countries—to promote inclusive AI governance, capacity‑building, technology transfer, international standards and joint research projects. WAICO’s permanent secretariat will be based in Shanghai and it positions itself as an open platform free of political conditioning, emphasizing equity, security and respect for national sovereignty.

Analysts view WAICO as a China‑led alternative to Western AI forums, potentially reshaping how businesses navigate differing regulatory regimes across geopolitical blocs. Cuba’s participation signals a commitment to reducing the technological gap and advancing open‑source AI initiatives under the new global framework.