Independent Consultant in AI Governance and Data Privacy

A successful first Global Dialogue on AI Governance would deliver concrete measurable commitments that reduce global AI inequality, integrate human rights based AI governance especially for African countries, in addition there is need to operationalize both the UN Pact for the Future and the AU Continental AI Strategy securing adoption by the concerned member states. In Africa, infrastructure access to less privileged communities such as mobile data, mobile internet, and electricity should be prioritized to increase adoption of AI as set out by the IMF AI Preparedness Index, this will significantly reduce the digital access issues and narrow the gap in digital divide. It will be also important to integrate Africa member countries' priorities, considering the countries that have already developed national AI strategies or policies like Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique just to mention but a few. Integrating key AU Continental Strategy pillars into the Pact will help bring to speed countries that are yet to harness the AI into their digital infrastructure. These includes: - Recognition of Africa's unique infrastructure constraints and a commitment to address them through global partnerships and investment. - Support for the AU's vision of sovereign data governance, including regional data spaces and harmonized standards. - Inclusion of African experts, institutions, and civil society in agenda‑setting, not just consultation—ensuring Africa shapes global norms rather than adapting to them after the fact.

Safe, secure and trustworthy AI;Protection and promotion of human rights

Safe, Secure and trustworthy AI: Kenya's AI ecosystem is built on three fundamental pillars outlined in the National AI Strategy, the first one is AI Digital Infrastructure, expanding computing capabilities and data centers, second is Data Ecosystem, which includes establishing robust data governance and quality assurance frameworks and lastly is AI Research and Innovation which includes developing localized AI models and solutions. Under data governance, sovereignty and quality assurance, the Kenya National AI Strategy explicitly identifies Trustworthy AI as one of the guiding principles ensuring that AI systems are ethical, transparent, secure, and aligned with human rights and societal values. This principle aligns Kenya with both the AU Continental Strategy on AI which emphasizes responsible, rights-based AI ecosystems and the UN Pact for the Future which calls for safe, secure, and trustworthy AI globally. The importance of integrating safety and ethical considerations into AI models cannot be over emphasized. Having both AI and data governance frameworks is critical for AI model builders in Kenya and on the Africa Continent to consider assessing the data inputs, the regulatory framework should provide for mandatory AI dataset assessments at the design and development stage, the risks posed by including certain datasets to build models and data security considerations built into the AI models to safeguard the datasets used. Protection and promotion of human rights: My brief recommendation on this thematic area is the urgent need to recognize children and vulnerable individuals as distinct rights bearing groups in AI governance. In most Africa national constitutions such as Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania etc, children rights are not just a policy preference but a constitutional imperative. AI is already shaping the digital environments where children learn, socialize, seek help and these AI models create serious risks including cyberbullying, growing deepfakes and harmful profiling. The UN pact should consider distinguishing the fundamental rights of children under different UN instruments and UN country member laws and establish clear monitoring and accountability mechanisms to protect children rights in AI governance. The UN Pact should consider adopting the AI model assessment tool that was published by the 5Rights Foundation for AI model developers of digital systems that interact with or affect children.

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Governance gaps in trustworthy AI and child‑rights protections are already shaping Kenya and the wider African region in significant ways. While Kenya's National AI Strategy establishes strong foundations—AI digital infrastructure, data governance, and localized innovation—implementation gaps persist. Limited compute capacity, fragmented data ecosystems, and the absence of mandatory dataset assessments mean AI developers often rely on imported models and datasets that carry embedded biases, security vulnerabilities, and misaligned value systems. This undermines the Strategy's commitment to ethical, transparent, and human‑rights‑aligned AI. Across the region, weak or uneven data governance frameworks create risks of harmful profiling, opaque decision‑making, and inadequate safeguards for sensitive datasets used in AI model training. Without enforceable standards for dataset quality, provenance, and security, African countries face heightened exposure to model failures, discriminatory outcomes, and cyber‑exploitation. The most urgent governance gap concerns children and vulnerable groups, who are not yet explicitly recognized as distinct rights‑bearing categories in most AI regulatory proposals. Yet AI systems already shape the digital environments where children learn, socialize, and seek support. Risks such as AI‑amplified cyberbullying, deepfakes, exploitative data collection, and harmful algorithmic profiling are escalating faster than regulatory protections. This gap is particularly acute in Africa, where constitutional protections for children are strong, but AI‑specific safeguards remain underdeveloped. Despite these challenges, significant opportunities exist. Kenya's national strategy, the AU Continental AI Strategy, and the UN Pact for the Future create a coherent policy pathway for rights‑based, trustworthy AI. Regional momentum around data sovereignty, local compute infrastructure, and indigenous AI research offers a chance to build governance frameworks that reflect African values and constitutional commitments. Tools such as the 5Rights Foundation's AI Model Assessment Framework provide ready‑to‑adopt mechanisms for child‑centred AI governance.

First, the Dialogue can harmonize global standards by translating the UN Pact for the Future, the AU Continental AI Strategy, and national strategies into interoperable governance frameworks. This reduces regulatory fragmentation and ensures that countries with emerging AI ecosystems are not left navigating conflicting or inaccessible standards. Second, it can serve as a mechanism for equitable access to AI resources, including compute infrastructure, high‑quality datasets, and safety‑enhancing tools. For Africa, where limited compute capacity and fragmented data ecosystems hinder innovation, coordinated global investment and shared infrastructure models would significantly accelerate responsible AI development. Third, the Dialogue can strengthen international cooperation on data governance, enabling cross‑border data flows that respect sovereignty, privacy, and security. This is essential for building localized AI models and ensuring that African datasets are governed ethically and transparently. Fourth, the Dialogue can elevate rights‑based governance, particularly for children and vulnerable groups. By embedding child‑specific protections and adopting tools such as the 5Rights Foundation's AI Model Assessment Framework, the Dialogue can set global expectations for safety‑by‑design and accountability. Fourth, the Dialogue can elevate rights‑based governance, particularly for children and vulnerable groups. By embedding child‑specific protections and adopting tools such as the 5Rights Foundation's AI Model Assessment Framework, the Dialogue can set global expectations for safety‑by‑design and accountability. Finally, the Dialogue can foster multistakeholder participation, ensuring that governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector—especially from the Global South—shape global AI norms rather than merely adapting to them.

Several existing initiatives provide strong foundations that the AI Dialogue should build upon, connect with, and amplify to create a coherent global AI governance ecosystem. At the multilateral level, the UN Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI already establish shared principles on human rights, transparency, and accountability. Regionally, the AU Continental AI Strategy provides an African‑driven framework focused on data sovereignty, infrastructure, and rights‑based AI development. Nationally, strategies such as Kenya's National AI Strategy outline practical pathways for trustworthy AI, data governance, and localized innovation. The Dialogue should also connect with technical and civil society initiatives such as the OECD AI Principles, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), and child‑rights‑focused frameworks like the 5Rights Foundation's AI Model Assessment Tool, which offers practical mechanisms for assessing AI systems that interact with or affect children. The added value of the AI Dialogue lies in its ability to unify these fragmented efforts into a coordinated, inclusive, and action‑oriented global mechanism. It can harmonize standards across regions, reducing regulatory inconsistencies that disproportionately burden countries with emerging AI ecosystems. It can also mobilize global investment in compute infrastructure, data governance capacity, and safety‑enhancing tools, critical for Africa, where limited resources constrain responsible AI development. Importantly, the Dialogue can elevate rights‑based governance, ensuring that protections for children and vulnerable groups are embedded across all AI systems. By convening governments, private sector actors, researchers, and civil society, especially from the Global South, it can ensure that global norms reflect diverse development realities rather than being shaped solely by technologically advanced nations.

The AI Dialogue can only succeed if it meaningfully engages all stakeholders and structures participation in a way that reflects global diversity, development realities, and rights‑based governance. Each stakeholder group brings distinct value: Governments National governments—especially from the Global South—should contribute policy priorities, regulatory experiences, and capacity needs. For countries like Kenya, this includes sharing lessons from national AI strategies, data governance reforms, and constitutional protections for children and vulnerable groups. Regional bodies Institutions such as the African Union can ensure regional coherence, align the Dialogue with the AU Continental AI Strategy, and articulate shared positions on data sovereignty, compute access, and rights‑based AI. Private sector and AI developers Technology companies and local innovators should provide technical insights, model‑building practices, and transparency on dataset provenance, safety testing, and risk mitigation. Their participation is essential for operationalizing trustworthy AI principles. Civil society and child‑rights organizations These actors bring expertise on human rights, digital safety, and the lived experiences of vulnerable groups. Organizations such as the 5Rights Foundation can contribute practical tools for child‑centred AI assessments. Academia and research institutions Researchers can support evidence‑based policymaking, contribute to global AI safety research, and help build capacity in regions with limited technical infrastructure. Recommended Format and Structure of the AI Dialogue - A standing multistakeholder forum with balanced representation from governments, regional bodies, civil society, academia, and industry. - Regional hubs or working groups, ensuring Africa, Latin America, and Asia have structured influence rather than ad‑hoc participation. - Thematic tracks (e.g., data governance, compute access, child‑rights protections, AI safety) with clear deliverables. - Annual ministerial‑level convenings to adopt recommendations and track progress. - Technical expert panels to develop standards, model assessment tools, and safety guidelines. - A public reporting mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability.

1. African and broader Global South policymakers Countries with emerging AI ecosystems: such as Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, and Tanzania, are often consulted late or inconsistently. Yet these regions face the steepest infrastructure, data governance, and capacity challenges. Their inclusion is essential to ensure global standards reflect diverse development realities rather than the priorities of technologically advanced nations. 2. Local AI innovators and small‑scale developers Most global discussions are dominated by large technology companies. African start‑ups, research labs, and community‑based innovators rarely have the resources to participate, despite being closest to local needs and contexts. Their insights are vital for shaping practical, context‑appropriate governance tools. 3. Child‑rights and youth‑focused organizations Children are among the most affected by AI systems, yet their rights are not systematically represented in global governance forums. Organizations such as the 5Rights Foundation, child protection agencies, and youth digital safety groups should be embedded in all AI governance processes, not treated as optional contributors. 4. Civil society groups working on digital rights, gender, disability, and marginalized communities These groups bring lived experience of how AI systems can amplify discrimination, exclusion, and harm. Their participation ensures governance frameworks address real‑world impacts rather than abstract principles. How to Include These Voices - Dedicated regional representation quotas, ensuring Africa, Latin America, and Asia have structured influence. - Funded participation mechanisms, including travel support, research grants, and digital access for under‑resourced stakeholders. - Permanent thematic working groups on children's rights, gender, disability, and data justice. - Youth advisory councils to ensure intergenerational perspectives. - Open consultations and public reporting, enabling transparent, inclusive engagement.

Several existing policies, practices, and platforms offer practical models for effective AI governance and provide concrete solutions to emerging challenges. These initiatives demonstrate how rights-based, trustworthy, and safe AI can be operationalized in diverse contexts. 1. UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI Adopted by 193 countries, this is one of the most comprehensive global frameworks for ethical AI. It provides actionable guidance on transparency, accountability, data governance, and human rights. Its emphasis on capacity-building is particularly relevant for African countries with emerging AI ecosystems. 2. EU AI Act (risk-based regulation) The EU AI Act introduces mandatory risk assessments, dataset quality requirements, and transparency obligations for high-risk AI systems. While not directly transferable, its risk-tiered approach offers a useful template for African regulators seeking to balance innovation with safety. 3. AU Continental AI Strategy This strategy provides an African-driven governance model focused on data sovereignty, infrastructure, and rights-based development. It emphasizes localized AI models, regional compute capacity, and harmonized data governance, critical for Kenya and the broader region. 4. Kenya's National AI Strategy (2025-2030) Kenya's strategy embeds Trustworthy AI as a guiding principle and outlines practical measures for data governance, quality assurance, and localized innovation. It provides a strong national foundation for implementing global norms. 5. 5Rights Foundation's AI Model Assessment Tool This tool offers a concrete, operational method for assessing AI systems that interact with or affect children. It provides checklists, risk indicators, and design-stage safeguards that can be adopted by governments and developers. 6. Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) GPAI's working groups on AI safety, data governance, and responsible innovation generate practical research and tools that can support capacity-building in developing regions.