UN STI Forum opens with call for global south leadership in AI design
Date: 2026-05-21
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
A member of the United
Nations Independent Scientific AI Panel, Prof Rita Orji has delivered the
opening keynote at the 11th United Nations Science, Technology and Innovation
Forum for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) held at UN Headquarters
in New York, calling for a shift in how artificial intelligence systems are
designed and deployed globally.
Speaking under the theme
“Designing AI for the Majority World: Why the Global South Should Lead, Not
Follow,” Prof Orji challenged what she described as a prevailing model in which
AI technologies are developed in high-resource environments and later exported
to developing regions without sufficient contextual adaptation.
She argued that the Global
South should be recognised not as a late adopter of artificial intelligence,
but as a key design frontier where constrained environments and diverse user
needs can drive the development of more resilient and human-centred technologies.
The keynote brought together
scientists, policymakers, innovators and civil society leaders from around the
world to discuss the role of science, technology and innovation in achieving
the Sustainable Development Goals.
Prof Orji noted that
discussions following her address reflected strong engagement from researchers,
diplomats and young innovators working at the intersection of technology,
policy and development.
The STI Forum serves as a
global platform for exchanging ideas and strengthening collaboration on science
and technology-driven solutions to development challenges.
Participants at the forum
are expected to continue discussions on how emerging technologies, including
artificial intelligence, can be shaped to better serve inclusive global
development priorities.
