P2C Flash Edition 06

UNDP & Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany: Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the SDGs

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), together with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), spearheaded the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This landmark initiative is the first global multistakeholder Declaration explicitly focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in international development, which outlines shared principles and commitments to promote the equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development and deployment of AI worldwide. It places particular emphasis on empowering developing countries.

The Declaration centers on ensuring AI technologies uphold human rights, serve and protect marginalized communities, combat disinformation, and protect the planet. Endorsing organizations further focus on improving the resource efficiency of AI systems, expanding access to AI education for women and girls, and supporting the growth of local AI innovations in developing countries.

In addition, many endorsing organizations have committed to specific and tangible actions that align with the overarching principles. The Declaration is a voluntary, legally non-binding document laying general guiding principles. UNDP and BMZ invite all interested stakeholders to endorse the Declaration and actively contribute to its implementation.

Global Digital Inclusion​ Partnership​: Advancing Digital Gender Equality Through Evidence-Based Research and Advocacy

The Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP) is a coalition of over 50 public, private, and civil society organizations working to ensure universal, meaningful connectivity for the global majority by 2030. A core priority is closing the gender digital divide, the disproportionate exclusion of women and girls from the digital economy.

GDIP is shaping gender-responsive digital policy through evidence-based research and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Its Connected Resilience research on meaningful connectivity surveyed over 6,000 women in nine low- and middle-income countries, revealing how geography, education, and income influence access to meaningful connectivity.

Key findings show rural women are three times more likely to lack internet access, and women with tertiary education are nearly twice as likely to be meaningfully connected. Barriers include affordability, infrastructure gaps, and unpaid care responsibilities. Without bold policy action, countries risk losing over USD 500 billion in GDP over five years due to the exclusion of women online.

GDIP’s insights are informing national and global strategies with partners like ISOC and UN Women. They are working together to drive inclusive digital development and empower women worldwide. Learn more: Global Digital Inclusion Partnership – Meaningful Connectivity for the Global Majority.

Zero Project: Promoting equitable AI and developing AI tools to support decision-making and collaboration globally

The Zero Project, launched by the non-profit Essl Foundation out of Vienna, Austria, works for a world with zero barriers by leveraging artificial intelligence to break down barriers for persons with disabilities worldwide. The Zero Project develops AI tools that empower policymakers, NGOs, and stakeholders with instant access to data from more than a decade of research on disability innovation and a global network of experts, fostering collaboration and accelerating progress toward SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

The Zero Project’s AI tools are based on representative datasets,  extensive testing with the disability inclusion community, and strategic partnerships, such as with Microsoft for the development of the Zero Project AI Assistant. The Zero Project AI Assistant has been showcased at the Zero Project Conference 2025, and the Global Disability Summit in Berlin in April 2025. Moreover, further tools focus on AI-enhanced matchmaking and personalized communications on disability innovation to support replication and impact of good practices and policies.

Additionally, the Equitable AI Alliance initiative was launched with the support of The Seneca Trust to advocate for responsible  AI. In its first year, the Alliance placed expert speakers with direct experience of disability and technology at more than 10 conferences worldwide, and launched a free Knowledge Hub of curated resources, aligning with SDG 9 and SDG 17.

Combining AI innovation with a commitment to inclusivity, the Zero Project is transforming how the world approaches disability rights and digital accessibility. For more information, visit the Zero Project.

SBA Communications: Strengthening Africa’s Connectivity through Tower Infrastructure Advocacy

Over the past two decades, Africa’s wireless communications landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation.  The expansion of 3G and 4G networks has significantly improved broadband coverage.  However, challenges persist, particularly around affordability and equitable access to services.  

To help address these challenges, SBA Communications has pledged USD 115,000 to advance digital connectivity across Africa through policy advocacy and knowledge sharing. Central to this effort is the publication of a landmark white paper,  The Independent Tower Industry as a Key Enabler of the Development of African Telecommunications, which underscores the pivotal role of infrastructure sharing in accelerating mobile broadband deployment and improving affordability across the continent. 

The study, covering 14 countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Rwanda, employs econometric modelling, which revealed that countries with well-developed independent tower industries consistently outperform their peers in mobile broadband coverage, adoption, performance, affordability, and service quality. 

The white paper advocates for a light-touch, pro-investment regulatory environment that enables growth while safeguarding public interest. Drawing on global best practices, including those outlined by the World Bank Group, it recommends registration-based market entry in place of licensing, no local ownership requirements, and policies that promote infrastructure sharing and carrier neutrality.  These measures are essential to accelerate 4G and 5G deployment, lower costs, and expand digital inclusion across Africa. 

These recommendations have already informed high-level policy dialogues in South Africa and Tanzania, where the report has been presented to senior government and diplomatic stakeholders.  It also serves as a strategic resource for investors and businesses interested in Africa’s dynamic telecommunications sector, offering guidance on future trends and opportunities for economic development and innovation.

African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute: Enhancing Digital Capacity and Skills Development Across Sub-Saharan Africa 

The African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI), an Inter-Governmental Organisation established in 1991, has successfully completed its ambitious pledge to enhance digital capacity and skills development across nine Sub-Saharan African member states: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Eswatini, and The Gambia. 

Between April 2023 and March 2025, AFRALTI exceeded its initial target of 3,000 participants by training 3,118 individuals across 429 comprehensive programs delivered through both in-person and online modalities. This achievement demonstrates the institute’s adaptive capacity and commitment to accessible digital education. 

Beyond this pledge, AFRALTI’s broader partnership initiatives have yielded remarkable results. Through collaboration with IBM’s Skills Build program, the institute has trained over 12,000 youth in Kenya over five years. The partnership with Uganda’s Institute of Information and Communications Technology has empowered over 1,000 ICT officers over two years. CISCO partnerships train an average of 600 youth annually across Eastern Africa. 

AFRALTI’s approach addresses critical digital infrastructure needs by training telecommunications engineers, policymakers, and regulators responsible for expanding regional connectivity while delivering specialised cybersecurity programs and supporting educational infrastructure development through strategic partnerships with different organisations.