Kenya has intensified its push to position itself as a leader in responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance, with Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy William Kabogo leading the country’s delegation at the inaugural United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The two-day high-level meeting has brought together government leaders, policymakers, technology experts and international organizations to deliberate on the future of AI governance, digital transformation and international cooperation in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
At the start of his official engagements, Kabogo paid a courtesy call on Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Dr. Fancy Too, where they discussed strengthening Kenya’s role in advancing multilateral cooperation on digital transformation, innovation and responsible artificial intelligence.
The Cabinet Secretary said the discussions reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to working with global partners in promoting responsible AI while accelerating the country’s Digital Superhighway agenda.
“We remain committed to leveraging technology, partnerships and global collaboration to accelerate Kenya’s Digital Superhighway agenda and create opportunities for all,” Kabogo said.
A key highlight of Kenya’s participation came when the Cabinet Secretary delivered the country’s national statement at the inaugural UN Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance on behalf of the Government of Kenya and President William Samoei Ruto.
In his address, Kabogo called for practical and inclusive global cooperation to ensure artificial intelligence benefits all nations rather than widening existing inequalities between developed and developing countries.
He observed that many developing countries continue to face challenges relating to access to computing power, quality data and language representation, arguing that global AI governance must move beyond policy principles into practical implementation.
Kenya urged the international community to prioritize affordable computing infrastructure, open and representative datasets, investment in digital skills development and sustainable financing mechanisms to enable countries to deploy AI safely and responsibly.
The Cabinet Secretary also showcased Kenya’s significant progress in digital transformation, highlighting the success of the eCitizen platform, which now provides more than 22,000 government services to over 13 million users across the country.
He further noted that Kenya recently launched the Government Interoperability Framework, designed to connect digital systems across public institutions to improve efficiency and service delivery.
On capacity building, Kabogo announced that Kenya is implementing the UNESCO and Oxford University AI in Government training programme, which aims to equip 20,000 public officers with AI knowledge and skills by 2027.
He also disclosed that Kenya is among five countries globally participating in an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) pilot programme introducing artificial intelligence and robotics education in schools, positioning the country at the forefront of AI education on the continent.
Kabogo emphasized Kenya’s continued commitment to shaping global AI governance, noting that the country played a significant role as co-facilitator of the WSIS+20 review process.
He reaffirmed Kenya’s support for the United Nations as the primary global platform for coordinating AI governance and ensuring that technological advancements serve the interests of all humanity.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Cabinet Secretary also held bilateral talks with Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where the two leaders reaffirmed the strong partnership between Kenya and the global telecommunications agency.
Their discussions focused on key priorities shaping Kenya’s digital future, including strengthening online child protection, expanding AI skills among young people and improving data quality and organization to support fair and inclusive AI systems across Africa.
Kabogo stressed that protecting children in the digital space requires a collaborative approach involving families, schools, communities and international partners, adding that Kenya is ready to work closely with the ITU in scaling initiatives that promote safer online environments.
Kenya’s participation in the Geneva dialogue underscores the country’s growing influence in global digital policy discussions and its ambition to become a regional leader in artificial intelligence, digital innovation and technology-driven economic transformation.
The outcomes of the Geneva meetings are expected to strengthen international partnerships that will support Kenya’s Digital Superhighway agenda while advancing the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence to drive inclusive economic growth, improved public service delivery and expanded opportunities for citizens.
