By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Kenya has reaffirmed its
commitment to strengthening global collaboration in artificial intelligence
(AI) capacity building following the formal signing and launch of the Global
Network of Centers for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building in Geneva.
Speaking at the launch,
Kenya's Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, emphasized the
importance of building AI capabilities through international cooperation,
shared knowledge and sovereign technological development.
According to Thigo, the
initiative began through collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has
since evolved into a broader coalition involving countries across the Global
South. The network is supported by the United Nations Institute for Training
and Research (UNITAR), the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging
Technologies (UNODET), the Stanford Hoover Institution and other international
partners.
Thigo said Kenya's approach
to AI capacity building is anchored on the principles of shared intelligence,
collaboration, co-creation and the development of national capabilities while
working alongside global partners.
A key milestone during the
launch was the formal admission of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and
Technology (JKUAT) into the Global Network of Centers for Exchange and
Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. The university's participation is expected
to strengthen research, skills development and international cooperation in
artificial intelligence.
Thigo noted that one of the
network's key objectives is to address the growing concentration of advanced
technologies while reducing fragmentation in global AI development. He said
greater international cooperation is essential to ensuring that AI capabilities
are directed toward addressing sustainable development challenges and
delivering practical benefits for societies.
