Riyadh (UNA/SPA) – A joint international statement was issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Centre for Research and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (ICAER), following the closed ministerial meeting held yesterday in Riyadh, as part of the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which is being hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from September 14-17, 2026, under the theme “International Cooperation for Responsible Artificial Intelligence”, with the participation of more than 60 ministers and international representatives from around the world.
The meeting was chaired by the representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency the President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Center for Research and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (ICAER), Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, and on behalf of UNESCO, the Deputy Director-General of the organization, Asa Reiner.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Al-Ghamdi welcomed the Kingdom’s guests to this forum, praising the constructive cooperation with UNESCO in a number of areas for the benefit and interest of the world’s peoples in the field of artificial intelligence, which is rapidly developing with the progress witnessed by modern technologies around the world.
The text of the statement was as follows:
The meeting witnessed fruitful discussions between ministers and senior officials representing 60 countries around the world, regarding the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence, with emphasis on the importance of strengthening international cooperation to ensure that its development, deployment and use contribute to human well-being, sustainable development and the common good, stressing the importance of continuing to be guided by the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence adopted in 2021, as the global standard instrument that provides a common framework for guiding the development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence in an ethical, safe, inclusive and sustainable manner, promoting the common good, human rights, fundamental freedoms and human well-being.
The participants in the meeting commended UNESCO’s leading role in AI governance, and its Readiness Assessment (RAM) and Ethical Impact Assessment (EIA) methodologies as practical tools that support Member States in formulating national policies and developing institutional practices, while encouraging UNESCO to intensify its support to Member States to develop national strategies guided by these tools and taking into account the variation in national contexts, capacities, and cultural and linguistic diversity.
The participants stressed the importance of international cooperation, intercultural dialogue and mutual learning, especially in light of rapid technological development and the complex global environment, emphasizing the role of multilateral cooperation in promoting trust and inclusive participation in shaping and governing artificial intelligence technologies, with the active participation of women and youth, paying special attention to the needs and participation of developing countries – particularly in Africa – and working to reduce gaps in access to artificial intelligence capabilities and infrastructure.
Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening infrastructure, institutional capacities, general skills, and knowledge sharing as key pillars to ensure the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence, along with enhancing cooperation between governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and civil society to address challenges that transcend national borders.
The co-chairs of the meeting welcomed the spirit of dialogue and cooperation that prevailed in the ministers' discussions, and called on member states and all stakeholders to strengthen the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence through national governance frameworks and capacity building. They noted the importance of supporting international cooperation to develop and deploy artificial intelligence in an ethical, safe and sustainable manner, protecting cultural and linguistic diversity and taking into account national priorities and contexts, while promoting dialogue and knowledge exchange among various stakeholders to enable everyone to benefit from these technologies, as well as stimulating responsible innovation and addressing potential risks in a way that preserves human rights and dignity, and promoting AI literacy and empowering children and youth to participate in its governance while protecting their rights and safety in the digital environment.
(is over)
