Alarmingly, 91% reported that their institutions lack official guidelines or structured training on the ethical use of AI, highlighting a critical gap in capacity-building within the justice sector. Recognizing this need, UNESCO is taking action. The African Union’s Continental AI Strategy emphasizes leveraging AI to transform judicial and legislative systems while ensuring responsible governance of AI technologies.

UNESCO-SADA Regional Training: Empowering Francophone Africa

To address these challenges, UNESCO partnered with the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) to host a regional training on AI and the Rule of Law for judicial operators and parliamentarians in francophone Central and West Africa. Held online from December 10-11, 2024, the program aimed to equip leaders with the knowledge and tools to navigate AI’s opportunities and risks in justice systems. The training brought together judges, prosecutors, policymakers, IT experts, and parliamentarians from 13 African countries, including  Burkina Faso, Cameroon,  Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe. Participants engaged in four key modules:

1. Introduction to AI and the Rule of Law: Covering foundational principles and cybersecurity.
2. Adopting AI in Judicial Systems: Showcasing practical applications and real-world case studies.
3. Legal and Ethical Challenges: Addressing ethics, bias, and algorithmic transparency.
4. Human Rights and AI Governance: Exploring societal impacts and governance frameworks.

The interactive sessions provided both theoretical insights and hands-on skills. Expert-led discussions were spearheaded by Judge Jean Aloise Ndiaye of Senegal’s Supreme Court and Dr. Kamel El Hilali of Yale Law School’s Information Society Project.

Driving Ethical AI Adoption in Africa

This initiative aligns with UNESCO’s and SADA’s shared vision to advance Africa’s digital transformation while promoting ethical AI governance. By blending technology with human rights principles, the program seeks to strengthen judicial systems and build trust in AI-driven solutions across the continent. The training represents a significant step forward in empowering African leaders to responsibly integrate AI into justice systems while upholding the rule of law in an increasingly digital world.

The training was based on the Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law, supported by the European Union through the project “Supporting Member States in Implementing UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI through Innovative Tools.”