Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Chola Milambo, has called for developing countries to pursue inclusive, equitable AI engagement anchored in national development priorities, in remarks delivered at a UN event focused on bridging the global AI divide.
Milambo spoke May 6 at an event organized by Zambia, China and the China Association for Science and Technology, held ahead of the 11th annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development Goals at UN headquarters in New York. The forum runs through May 7. Zambia and China currently co-chair the UN’s Group of Friends for AI Capacity-Building.
Milambo argued that developing countries must move beyond the question of whether to engage with AI and focus instead on how to ensure that engagement is inclusive, equitable and grounded in development priorities. He called for investment in local engineers, technicians and institutions to ensure developing countries can shape AI deployment rather than simply receive it.
Chen Jiachang, China’s vice minister of science and technology, reaffirmed China’s commitment to moving from consensus to practical cooperation on AI capacity-building. He emphasized inclusive, real-world applications, global leadership in AI talent and innovation, and the widespread use of AI to improve education, accessibility and everyday life — citing examples including AI tutoring in secondary schools and AI-powered diagnostic tools.
The event was also attended by Amandeep Singh Gill, UN under-secretary-general and special envoy for digital and emerging technologies, alongside academic and technical experts and other UN member states.
Held under the theme “AI Empowering Engineering Capacity Building,” the gathering highlighted the urgent need to bridge the global AI divide and strengthen capacity in developing countries amid the rapid advancement of the technology.
