Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali and Senegal have adopted a shared set of guidelines to promote ethical, inclusive and responsible artificial intelligence — a framework their backers say is designed to give Francophone African countries a common reference point as they build out national AI policies.
Advocacy organization Niyel led the initiative, which it announced on July 6 on the sidelines of the United Nations’ inaugural Global AI Dialogue on Governance. The framework aims to help governments design AI policies that reflect African realities while strengthening regional cooperation.
“The artificial intelligence revolution is accelerating, and with it every nation faces a choice: either undergo this transformation or become an active participant in shaping it,” said Aminata Zerbo/Sabane, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications. The guidelines, she added, should enable African countries to build a governance framework rooted in their own values, languages and development priorities.
Researchers, technical experts and senior digital-affairs officials from the six countries jointly developed the document, which is intended to serve as a reference for national AI policies and governance frameworks. It recommends the development of transparent, safe and inclusive AI systems that respect fundamental rights and reflect local contexts, and emphasizes stronger data protection, skills development, mitigation of algorithmic bias, support for local innovation and the promotion of digital sovereignty.
The initiative comes as several participating countries have already begun formalizing national AI policies. Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have adopted national AI strategies, while the others continue to develop or strengthen their governance frameworks. The Niyel guidelines are not intended to replace those national strategies; instead, they provide a common foundation that encourages convergence around principles including ethics, inclusion, transparency and digital sovereignty.
The launch lands as international efforts to establish AI governance frameworks continue to accelerate. UNESCO adopted its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in 2021, and the African Union launched its Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2024, encouraging member states to develop policies aligned with Africa’s priorities. Niyel has also submitted the new guidelines as a written contribution to the UN’s first Global AI Dialogue on Governance.
Beyond ethical considerations, the framework’s promoters said artificial intelligence could help address development challenges in education, healthcare, agriculture and public services. They warned, however, that uncontrolled adoption of AI solutions developed outside Africa could deepen technological dependence and reproduce algorithmic biases that fail to reflect African realities. The common guidelines, they said, aim to give Francophone African countries a shared reference framework for developing AI policies while strengthening regional cooperation.
