Bienvenidos a las Naciones Unidas
The Special Meeting of the Economic and Social Council on Artificial Intelligence (AI) will take place on Tuesday, 6 May 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the ECOSOC Chamber at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The meeting will bring together Member States, UN system experts, private sector leaders, innovators, and civil society stakeholders to follow up on the outcomes of the Summit of the Future, including the Global Digital Compact. It will showcase the potential for AI to accelerate sustainable development, paying special attention to the role of strategic investments, partnerships, and international cooperation in addressing foundational needs and capacity development in the Global South.
This special meeting is part of the STI Action Day and will take place back-to-back with the 10th Annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum), scheduled for 7-8 May 2025.
Letter of the President of ECOSOC (14 March 2025)
Programme (Tuesday, 6 May 2025, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations)
- Opening
3:00 – 3:20 pm
- H.E. Mr. Bob Rae (Canada), President of the Economic and Social Council
- Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, United Nations
- Fireside Chat: Emerging Trends of AI Innovations and the SDGs
3:20 – 3:25 pm
Videos: Showcase of AI initiatives for SDGs (from the UN system)
3:25 – 4:25 pm
Moderator:
- Mr. Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer, UNDP
Speakers:
- H.E. Mr. Philip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology, Office of the President of Kenya
- Ms. Rachel Adams, CEO, Global Centre of AI Governance
Guiding questions:
- How can AI-driven innovations be effectively scaled to maximize their positive impact on the SDGs while ensuring equitable access, particularly in developing countries? What role do global partnerships and capacity-building efforts play in this process?
- How can policymakers, private sector leaders, academia and civil society work together to balance AI regulation and innovation, ensuring that ethical considerations and inclusivity remain at the core of AI development and deployment?
Interactive discussion (Member States and other participants. Statements of speakers will be limited to three mins for groups of countries, and two and a half mins for individual delegations.)
- Panel: Building Foundations for AI in the Global South
4:25 – 4:30 pm
Videos: Showcase of AI initiatives for SDGs (from the UN system)
4:30 – 5:50 pm
Moderator:
- Mr. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secratary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Panelists:
- Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, Head of Responsible AI Lab, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
- Mr. Chris Sharrock, Vice President, UN and International Organizations, Microsoft
- Ms. Oumaïma Makhlouk, Data Focal Point for the Major Group for Children and Youth
Guiding questions:
- What are the key barriers preventing developing countries from fully leveraging AI for economic transformation?
- How can governments, international organizations, academia, and the private sector collaborate to create AI ecosystems in the Global South, ensuring access to AI advancements and participation in the global digital economy?
- What policy and governance mechanisms are needed to address AI interoperability and governance fragmentation in developing countries, and how can cross-regional partnerships and digital public goods support a more harmonized and accessible AI landscape?
Interactive discussion (Member States and other participants. Statements of speakers will be limited to three mins for groups of countries, and two and a half mins for individual delegations.)
- Closing
5:50 – 6:00 pm
- H.E. Mr. Bob Rae (Canada), President of the Economic and Social Council
Biographies
- Speakers
Logistics and Participant Guide
Side event: AI for Good Lab (6 May 2025, 1.00 p.m. - 2.30 p.m. Conference Room 8, UN Headquarters)