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Sierra Leone’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Alpha Sesay Esq., has discussed the country’s emerging artificial intelligence governance framework with UNESCO officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sesay held a bilateral meeting Wednesday with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Science and AI, Dr Abou Amani, and his team on the margins of the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
UNESCO confirms that the 2026 forum is being held in Riyadh from September 14-17, bringing together governments, international organisations, experts and other stakeholders to discuss ethical AI governance and implementation.
According to information from Sierra Leone’s Embassy in Riyadh, Sesay used the meeting to outline President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Game Changers and discuss how artificial intelligence could support their implementation.
Sesay said Sierra Leone has established a position on AI but has not yet enacted specific AI legislation. He emphasised the need for the country to understand and prepare for the technology while considering its potential contribution to national development.
The attorney-general also briefed the UNESCO delegation on Sierra Leone’s existing cybersecurity framework and government efforts to develop a Data Protection Bill.
Sesay further argued that discussions around artificial intelligence should extend beyond legal and technical professionals to reach ordinary citizens.
“We are interested in the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and in tapping into UNESCO’s support extended to other countries,” he said.
UNESCO describes RAM as a tool for assessing countries’ readiness to implement its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The organisation says more than 75 member states have engaged with the methodology since the recommendation was adopted in 2021.
Sesay also disclosed that Sierra Leone had proposed regional cooperation on AI governance through the Economic Community of West African States.
Amani welcomed the presentation and said UNESCO was open to including Sierra Leone in the RAM process, according to the embassy’s account of the meeting.
He also confirmed that UNESCO’s Communication and Information Team would travel to Sierra Leone later this month to provide training for members of the legal community, including the Judiciary, law officers and private practitioners.
The two sides agreed to continue discussions when the UNESCO team visits Freetown. Sesay was accompanied at the meeting by State Counsel Alpha Amadu Bah Esq.
The meeting took place during the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which UNESCO says is focused on translating ethical principles into practical AI governance while strengthening international cooperation.