Full Breakdown
Developing Nations Push for Greater Role in AI Governance at the United Nations
By Drooid · · How we work
UN Session Highlights Growing Demand for Inclusion
On September 29, the United Nations Security Council held a dedicated session on artificial intelligence. Delegates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh, Belize and dozens of other African, Asian and Latin American countries voiced concerns that AI development and regulation remain dominated by wealthy nations. The meeting also featured executives from leading labs—including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic—who called for collaborative government action.
Context: Risks, Opportunities and the Global South’s Perspective
Representatives warned that unchecked AI could exacerbate existing economic gaps, while also noting that the technology could accelerate development if power, connectivity and skills gaps are addressed. The International Monetary Fund, in a July briefing, projected a roughly 4 % boost to Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy over the next ten years under favorable conditions.
Official Statements & Responses
- Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, likened AI governance to climate-change action, urging coordinated global measures rather than isolated national policies.
- Donald Trump, President of the United States, dismissed AI risks as a “hoax” and “sick conspiracy,” comparing the debate to climate-change alarmism.
- John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, said AI could broaden access to knowledge and improve public services, but warned that poor governance might deepen inequality, expose critical systems and displace workers.
- Khalilur Rahman, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, noted that four years earlier only five delegations raised AI at the UN, whereas this year 128 delegations participated, underscoring the issue’s rising prominence.
Data & Statistics
- Delegations addressing AI grew from 5 to 128 within four years.
- The IMF estimate: ~4 % economic boost for Sub-Saharan Africa over the next decade.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Developing countries cannot be reduced to the role of mere users of technologies designed elsewhere, nor should be the mere recipients of standards and norms that they did not adequately participate in shaping,” — Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba, said foreign minister
- “We must ensure that technological transformations of the 21st century do not reproduce the economic imbalances of previous decades,” — Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, said foreign minister