What Did Kenya Achieve at the UN on AI?
Kenya has played a central role in securing a groundbreaking agreement at the United Nations, where all 193 member states unanimously endorsed the creation of two new institutions to guide artificial intelligence governance. Representing the Group of 77 and China, Kenya’s delegation helped broker the establishment of the Independent Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance. Both will address concerns about AI’s ability to reshape economies, widen inequality, and challenge democracy, while also driving innovation.
The agreement was reached after six months of negotiations at UN Headquarters in New York. UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the outcome as “a significant step forward,” highlighting Kenya’s contribution in uniting diverse nations around a highly debated issue.
How Will the New AI Institutions Work?
The Independent Scientific Panel on AI will act as an evidence-based research body, much like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, providing authoritative assessments to help governments and institutions make informed decisions. Meanwhile, the Global Dialogue on AI Governance will serve as a collaborative platform, bringing together governments, civil society, the private sector, and academia to build trust and strengthen international cooperation on AI.
Ambassador Philip Thigo, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, described the deal as “enriching and challenging,” adding: “This consensus shows that even in a divided world, we can come together to shape AI for the common good, guided by science, grounded in cooperation, and inclusive of all nations.”
Why Is Kenya’s Role Significant?
Ambassador Thigo underscored Kenya’s impact in ensuring that developing countries actively shaped the outcome. “The challenge was balancing ambition with inclusion, ensuring that the Global South is not a spectator in the AI revolution, but a key architect of its governance.”
Kenya’s negotiators, led by Tony Oweke at the UN Mission in New York, were credited for “outstanding leadership in steering negotiations to consensus.” Oweke summed up the process as “science guiding dialogue, and dialogue amplifying evidence into cooperation.”
The UN will now move to operationalize the two institutions. The Global Dialogue platform is expected to launch by 2026, with the Scientific Panel producing its first outputs by 2027. This milestone firmly positions Kenya at the heart of shaping the future of global AI governance.
By Risper Akinyi