Kijana Initiative Organization

I see the Global Dialogue on AI Governance as a critical space where different voices can shape how AI impacts our future. AI is developing very quickly, so it's important that governance frameworks focus on ethics, inclusion, and access. For me, it's also about ensuring young leaders and communities from the Global South are part of shaping these decisions so technology serves society fairly.

• AI capacity-building
• Safe, secure and trustworthy AI

From my perspective, the most important priorities are safe, secure and trustworthy AI, AI capacity-building, and the protection and promotion of human rights. As someone working closely with young people and communities in Tanzania, I believe it is critical that AI systems are developed in ways that are ethical, transparent, and safe for society. At the same time, there is a strong need for AI capacity-building, especially for youth in developing countries, so they can understand, use, and shape these technologies rather than being left behind. Equally important is ensuring that human rights are protected and promoted in the development and use of AI. Technology should empower people, reduce inequality, and support inclusive development rather than reinforce existing gaps.

In addition to the listed themes, one key cross-cutting issue is digital inequality and access. Many communities, especially in developing countries, still face limited access to reliable internet, digital infrastructure, and digital education. Without addressing these gaps, the benefits of AI risk being concentrated in a few regions, leaving others further behind. Ensuring equitable access to technology and digital skills should therefore be part of global AI governance efforts. Another emerging issue is the meaningful inclusion of youth and local communities in AI policy discussions. Young people are among the most active users of digital technologies and will live with the long-term impacts of AI systems. Their perspectives, along with those of grassroots organizations, can help shape more inclusive and practical governance frameworks. Finally, the impact of AI on employment and the future of work, particularly for young people, deserves greater attention. As AI continues to transform industries, there is a need for stronger investment in education, digital literacy, and reskilling programs to help youth adapt and participate in an AI-driven economy. Addressing these cross-cutting issues will help ensure that AI development remains inclusive, responsible, and beneficial to communities worldwide.

In Tanzania and across many parts of Africa, the rapid development of artificial intelligence presents both important opportunities and significant governance gaps. While AI has the potential to improve sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, many countries in the region are still at an early stage of developing policies and regulatory frameworks that guide the safe and responsible use of these technologies. One of the main challenges is limited AI capacity and digital skills, particularly among young people and local institutions. Without sufficient training, infrastructure, and access to technology, many communities risk being left behind in the global digital transformation. There is also a need for stronger awareness and understanding of ethical AI, data protection, and digital rights, as governance systems are still evolving. Another gap relates to inclusive participation in global AI governance discussions. Voices from developing countries, especially youth and grassroots innovators, are often underrepresented in shaping international standards and policies. Ensuring broader participation is important to make sure AI solutions reflect diverse realities and address local development priorities. At the same time, there are strong opportunities. Africa has a large and innovative youth population that is increasingly engaged in digital entrepreneurship, technology solutions, and social innovation. With the right investments in AI capacity-building, education, and supportive policy environments, young people can become creators and leaders in responsible AI development rather than only users of technologies developed elsewhere. Strengthening collaboration between governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector will be essential to close governance gaps and ensure AI contributes to inclusive and sustainable development in the region.

The AI Dialogue can play an important role as a global platform that brings together governments, international organizations, private sector actors, civil society, and youth to exchange perspectives and strengthen cooperation on responsible AI governance. Because AI development is advancing rapidly across borders, no single country can address its challenges alone. A coordinated international approach is essential. One key role of the AI Dialogue is to encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration. Countries and institutions are at different stages of AI development and regulation. Through dialogue, participants can share lessons, best practices, and policy experiences that help others design more effective governance frameworks. The AI Dialogue can also help bridge the gap between developed and developing countries by promoting inclusive participation. Many countries in the Global South are still building their digital infrastructure and AI capacity. Ensuring that their voices are represented in global discussions will help create governance frameworks that are fair, inclusive, and responsive to diverse contexts. Another important contribution is fostering collaboration around capacity-building and responsible innovation. The Dialogue can encourage partnerships between governments, universities, technology companies, and civil society to support digital skills, ethical AI development, and research that benefits society. Finally, the AI Dialogue can support shared principles for safe, trustworthy, and human-centered AI, aligned with human rights and sustainable development. By creating space for continuous engagement and cooperation, it can help build trust, strengthen accountability, and ensure that AI technologies contribute to inclusive and sustainable progress globally.

Several youth-led and civil society initiatives can provide valuable foundations for the AI Dialogue to build upon. One example is the National Youth Dialogue organized by Kijana Initiative Organization (KIO) in Tanzania, which brings together youth leaders, journalists, civil society actors, and digital rights advocates to discuss the impact of digital technologies on governance, civic engagement, and democratic integrity. � NYD2025 The dialogue explores issues such as digital literacy, misinformation, ethical technology use, and youth participation in shaping digital and technology governance. It also focuses on strengthening collaboration between youth, media, civil society, and policymakers to address challenges emerging in the digital space and to promote responsible use of technology. � NYD2025 Through this initiative, participants developed practical recommendations on improving digital literacy, strengthening youth engagement in policy discussions, and promoting inclusive digital governance. Initiatives like this demonstrate the importance of connecting grassroots perspectives and youth-led innovation with global policy discussions on emerging technologies, including AI. The AI Dialogue could build upon such initiatives by creating stronger links between local dialogues, youth networks, policymakers, and international governance platforms. By amplifying insights and recommendations generated from community-based initiatives, the Dialogue can help bridge the gap between global AI governance debates and the lived realities of communities. The added value of the AI Dialogue would be its ability to convene diverse stakeholders, foster international cooperation, and support partnerships that translate local experiences and youth-led innovation into inclusive and responsible AI governance frameworks. Reference (Recommendations Report): https://docs.google.com/document/d/17DUxtTnGXUyEQerJumq7vTqVJ4U-zd2SO6o4n-_JtZk/edit

Different stakeholders can contribute meaningfully to the AI Dialogue by bringing their unique expertise, lived experiences, and responsibilities into a shared space of learning and co-creation. Governments can provide policy direction, regulatory frameworks, and national priorities, ensuring alignment with public interest, human rights, and sustainable development goals. International organizations can support coordination, technical guidance, and facilitate knowledge exchange across regions. The private sector can contribute innovation, technical expertise, and practical insights on the development and deployment of AI systems, while also ensuring accountability and ethical standards in their technologies. Civil society organizations play a critical role in representing community voices, advocating for rights-based approaches, and ensuring that governance discussions remain inclusive and people-centered. Academia and research institutions can provide evidence-based analysis, foresight, and critical assessment of AI risks and opportunities. Young people and grassroots innovators should be meaningfully included not only as participants but as co-creators of solutions, since they are among the most affected by emerging technologies. For the format and structure of the AI Dialogue, I recommend a multi-layered and participatory model. This could include regional consultations leading into global sessions, ensuring diverse geographic representation and context-specific inputs. The Dialogue should combine high-level policy discussions with interactive working groups focused on key themes such as ethics, capacity-building, digital inclusion, and human rights. Additionally, there should be structured space for youth-led sessions and community-driven inputs, alongside digital engagement platforms to allow continuous participation beyond formal meetings. A mechanism for consolidating outcomes into clear policy recommendations and action-oriented frameworks would also be important to ensure impact. This structure would make the AI Dialogue more inclusive, practical, and responsive to real-world needs while strengthening global cooperation on AI governance.

Global discussions on AI governance are still missing several important voices, particularly those from communities that are most affected by unequal digital development. One of the most underrepresented groups is young people, especially from the Global South. Although youth are among the most active users of digital technologies, they are often not meaningfully included in policy and regulatory spaces where decisions about AI are made. Their perspectives can bring practical insights on how AI is shaping education, employment, and social life. Another underrepresented group is grassroots and rural communities, particularly in developing countries. These communities often face limited digital access and infrastructure, yet they are increasingly impacted by digital systems in agriculture, finance, health, and public services. Their lived experiences are essential to ensure AI systems are inclusive and contextually relevant. Women and marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, also remain underrepresented in AI governance spaces. Without their input, there is a risk that AI systems may unintentionally reinforce existing inequalities or exclude vulnerable populations. To address these gaps, inclusion must go beyond symbolic participation. First, there should be structured youth and community representation in global AI governance forums, not only as observers but as contributors and co-designers. Second, capacity-building programs are needed to equip underrepresented groups with the knowledge and skills to engage meaningfully in AI policy discussions. Third, hybrid and digital participation formats can help reduce barriers to access, allowing wider engagement beyond physical meetings. Finally, partnerships with civil society organizations and local initiatives can help channel community voices into global processes in a more systematic way. Ensuring these perspectives are included will lead to more equitable, ethical, and effective AI governance frameworks that reflect the realities of all societies.

To foster meaningful and dynamic engagement during the AI Dialogue, the format should move beyond traditional panel discussions and create space for interaction, co-creation, and real-time collaboration among stakeholders. One effective approach would be multi-stakeholder working labs. These would bring together governments, private sector actors, civil society, researchers, and youth in smaller, focused groups to jointly develop practical recommendations on specific AI governance themes such as ethics, capacity-building, and digital rights. This would encourage deeper dialogue and solution-oriented outcomes. Another innovative format is youth-led innovation sessions, where young people present lived experiences, local challenges, and digital solutions from their communities. This ensures that discussions are grounded in real-world contexts and not only high-level policy perspectives. The Dialogue could also benefit from regional and community listening sessions held prior to global meetings. These would collect inputs from underrepresented communities and ensure their perspectives are integrated into global discussions. In addition, a digital participation platform could be established to enable continuous engagement beyond physical events. This platform could include idea submissions, collaborative drafting of recommendations, and interactive discussions, making the Dialogue more inclusive and accessible across regions. To strengthen impact, the process could conclude with a co-creation summit, where key findings from all sessions are consolidated into actionable commitments and shared governance principles. Finally, incorporating interactive storytelling formats, such as case study exchanges or lived experience showcases, would help humanize AI governance discussions and highlight how policies affect real people. These combined formats would make the AI Dialogue more participatory, inclusive, and action-oriented, ensuring that it is not only a space for discussion but also a platform for collective problem-solving and global cooperation.

One important example of a policy and engagement approach that promotes effective AI governance is the multi-stakeholder dialogue model used within UN processes, such as the ECOSOC Youth Forum side event on "Youth and Implementation of the Global Digital Compact: Co-creating an Inclusive Digital Future and AI Governance." This platform demonstrates how inclusive dialogue between governments, youth, civil society, and other stakeholders can contribute to shaping shared understanding on responsible AI governance. The discussion highlighted the importance of aligning AI development with the principles of the Global Digital Compact, particularly around inclusion, human rights, and equitable access to digital technologies. A key good practice from such engagements is the emphasis on youth participation in global digital governance spaces. Young people bring lived experience, innovation, and practical perspectives on how AI and digital systems are affecting education, employment, and civic participation. Their inclusion ensures that policy discussions are not only theoretical but also grounded in real societal needs. Another effective approach is the integration of digital rights and human-centered principles into AI governance frameworks. This includes promoting transparency, accountability, data protection, and equitable access to digital infrastructure. Additionally, the use of multi-stakeholder platforms and side events under UN processes provides a structured mechanism for continuous dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration between different actors. These spaces help bridge the gap between global policy discussions and local implementation realities. From my participation in today's ECOSOC Youth Forum side event, it is clear that such platforms are essential in advancing inclusive, ethical, and cooperative approaches to AI governance. Strengthening and scaling these models can help ensure that AI systems contribute positively to sustainable development and global equity.