MINISTRY OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY -KENYA

Co-Chairs, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Kenya aligns itself with the collective efforts under the auspices of the United Nations to advance inclusive, safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence. We commend the convening of this Global Dialogue as a timely platform to shape a balanced and development-oriented global AI governance framework. Co-Chairs, For us, and indeed the African continent, the primary purpose and added value of this Dialogue lies in bridging the growing divide between those who are shaping artificial intelligence and those who are yet to fully benefit from it. While notable progress has been made globally on AI ethics, safety, and principles, there remains a critical gap in addressing equitable access to data, high-performance computing infrastructure, and digital skills. I therefore underscore that the Dialogue should prioritize closing this AI capacity and infrastructure gap, particularly in developing countries, by leveraging existing United Nations mechanisms and strengthening multistakeholder partnerships. This is essential to ensure that AI becomes a tool for sustainable development and inclusive growth. Excellencies, With regard to the thematic organization of the mandated areas, I propose a clustering into three coherent and mutually reinforcing pillars: First, Trust, Safety and Human Rights, encompassing safe, secure, and trustworthy AI systems; transparency, accountability, and human oversight; and the protection and promotion of human rights in AI deployment. Second, Inclusion, Capacity and Development, addressing capacity-building, access to infrastructure, skills development, and the broader social, economic, cultural, and linguistic implications of artificial intelligence. Third, Governance, Interoperability and Openness, focusing on the compatibility of governance frameworks across jurisdictions, and the promotion of open-source software, open data, and open AI models as drivers of innovation and accessibility. This framework ensures a balanced approach that reflects both the risks and opportunities associated with AI, particularly for emerging economies. Co-Chairs, To foster meaningful exchange and practical cooperation, I encourage the adoption of innovative and action-oriented engagement formats. These may include policy laboratories, regional showcases, and public-private dialogues that demonstrate real-world AI applications across sectors such as agriculture, health, education, and digital public services. Furthermore, it is imperative that the outputs of the Scientific Panel are translated into actionable policy guidance, including toolkits and implementation pathways that can be adapted to different national contexts. Distinguished Delegates, I believe that the first Global Dialogue should deliver concrete and practical outcomes, including: • A Global AI Capacity Compact to mobilize investment and partnerships in compute infrastructure, data ecosystems, and digital skills development for developing countries; • A Framework for Interoperable AI Governance to support alignment of national and regional approaches while respecting sovereign priorities; • A Global Repository of Open AI Solutions, enabling the sharing and scaling of open-source innovations addressing development challenges. Kenya remains committed to advancing its national AI ecosystem and contributing to continental efforts to position Africa as both a consumer and creator of AI solutions. Co-Chairs, Excellencies, In conclusion, we emphasize that the future of artificial intelligence must be inclusive, equitable, and development-centered. This Global Dialogue presents a unique opportunity to bridge not only governance gaps, but also opportunity gaps, ensuring that no country is left behind. I thank you.

Safe, secure and trustworthy AI;AI capacity-building;Social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and technical implications of AI;Open-source software, open data and open AI models;

its in terms of immediate interventions-priority