UN Trains 26 Leaders on AI Strategy in Saudi Arabia

Twenty-six senior officials from Cambodia, The Gambia, Laos, Malawi, Nepal, Uganda, and Zambia gathered at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology this February for something remarkable. They weren't learning to code but rather mastering how to govern AI and integrate it into national strategies that could transform millions of lives.

The "AI for Impact" program focused on what leaders truly need: strategic frameworks for using artificial intelligence in healthcare, agriculture, and public services. Instead of technical jargon, participants dove into practical questions about data readiness and ethical governance, sharing real challenges they face back home.

"LDCs should not simply be observers of technological change," said Burcu Tamgaç Mörel from the UN Technology Bank. "They must be active participants shaping how these technologies are applied to support their own development priorities."

The mission extended beyond the classroom walls. UN Technology Bank delegates met with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh and Jeddah. These conversations turned into concrete plans for partnership.

The discussions centered on three powerful ideas: using Saudi universities to build leadership capacity, connecting technology assessments with actual financing for innovation projects, and scaling STEM education across member states. Leaders from different continents found common ground, discovering they faced similar infrastructure and data governance challenges.

The Ripple Effect

This training represents something bigger than a single program. By connecting policymakers from the world's 44 least developed countries with cutting-edge research institutions and development financing, the UN Technology Bank is building bridges that could reshape entire economies.

Saudi Arabia's emerging role as an innovation hub means these partnerships have staying power. When leaders return home with strategic AI knowledge and connections to funding partners, they carry tools that can modernize public services, improve crop yields, and deliver better healthcare to remote communities.

The peer-to-peer learning model proved especially valuable, with officials exchanging solutions and strategies they could adapt to their unique contexts. One nation's breakthrough in digital public services becomes another's roadmap.

"Our aim is to take these high-level discussions into practical initiatives that can directly benefit the national innovation systems of Least Developed Countries," noted Programme Management Analyst Nazlı Avşaroğlu. The momentum from these February meetings is already translating into follow-up partnerships and concrete action plans.

As digital transformation accelerates globally, this mission proves that the future doesn't have to leave anyone behind.