Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how governments design policies, deliver services and engage with citizens. But technology alone cannot transform public institutions. Real progress depends on building the skills, institutions, and governance needed to use AI responsibly, ethically, and in ways that improve people's lives.
For Cecilia W. Mutua, Director of Data Governance at Kenya's State Department for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, that transformation begins with investing in people.
"The UNESCO–Oxford Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on AI and Digital Transformation in Government laid the foundation, while the UNESCO–ITU training brought AI governance and public sector innovation into practice.”
Her experience reflects a broader shift underway in Kenya, where public institutions are strengthening their capacity to navigate emerging technologies while ensuring innovation supports inclusive and effective public services.
Building the foundations for digital government
Through the Joint SDG Fund-supported DigiKen (Digital Platforms Kenya) programme, Kenya is investing in the people who will lead its digital transformation. Implemented by UNESCO and the Kenya School of Government, the UNESCO–Oxford Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on AI and Digital Transformation in Government aims to equip 20,000 public officials with the knowledge and skills needed to govern artificial intelligence and lead digital innovation across the public sector by 2027.
The programme forms part of Kenya's broader digital transformation agenda, helping public institutions adopt emerging technologies while strengthening transparency, accountability and citizen-centred service delivery.
Prof. Nura Mohamed, Director General of the Kenya School of Government, underscored the importance of preparing today's civil servants for tomorrow's challenges.
"Technology and innovation are central to Kenya's Vision 2030. Strengthening the public sector's capacity to lead digital transformation is critical to achieving the country's development goals."
From national action to global collaboration
Building on these efforts, UNESCO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with funding from the European Union's Global Gateway initiative, convened the Global Training on Artificial Intelligence for the Public Sector in Nairobi from 19–22 May 2026.
The four-day programme brought together 30 policymakers, regulators, digital transformation practitioners and public sector leaders from 20 countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas to exchange experiences and explore how AI can be governed responsibly and applied to address real public sector challenges.
The training demonstrated that successful digital transformation requires more than technological investment. It depends on capable institutions, skilled public servants and governance frameworks that place ethics, transparency and public trust at the centre of innovation.
For UNESCO, building these capacities is essential to ensuring AI contributes to sustainable development.
"Through UNESCO's AI and Digital Competency Frameworks for civil servants, we are supporting governments to build the capacities needed to govern AI and advance ethical, human-centred digital transformation," said Misako Ito, Regional Adviser for Communication and Information in Africa, UNESCO.
The European Union's Global Gateway initiative complements these efforts by supporting Kenya's investments in connectivity, digital infrastructure, public services and digital skills.
"From connecting 1,300 schools across all 47 counties through the Last Mile Digital Connections project to expanding broadband connectivity, data infrastructure, and digital public services, these investments are creating the foundations for a digital economy," said Matthew Brooke, Team Leader, Governance and Digital Macroeconomics, Delegation of the European Union to Kenya.
Learning from across the world
While participants came from different regions and institutions, many shared a common perspective: effective AI governance depends on strong public institutions, practical skills and collaboration across countries.
For Shahid Raza, Head of Licensing Operations at the Special Technology Zones Authority, Government of Pakistan, the programme strengthened his understanding of how ethical frameworks can support innovation.
"The training significantly strengthened my understanding of applied AI governance through engagement with diverse public sector practitioners and UNESCO's ethical framework," he said.
For Dania González, Legislator at the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, learning from international experiences provided valuable insights for policymaking.
"The training highlighted the important role of policymakers in shaping AI governance. Learning from experiences across different countries provided valuable insights that I can apply in my legislative work in El Salvador," she said.
Rashsul Hussain, Project Manager at the Assam Society for Comprehensive Financial Management System (AS-CFMS), India, highlighted the importance of connecting AI with broader digital government systems.
"One of the key takeaways was that AI is most effective when built on strong digital public infrastructure and aligned with citizens' needs," he said.
For Minohasina Andriantahina, Digital Governance Unit, Government of Madagascar, the discussions reinforced how AI can strengthen public services while maintaining public confidence.
"The discussions on AI governance, ethics, and human oversight provided valuable insights into how AI can strengthen justice services while safeguarding public trust,” she said.
Duy Anh Le, Programme Director, Economics Program at VinUniversity, Vietnam, reflected on the broader implications for research and policymaking.
"The training strengthened my perspective that AI governance should be treated as institutional infrastructure for sustainable development. These insights have helped shape my ongoing research on AI governance in Vietnam," he said.
Investing in people to shape the future of AI
As governments increasingly integrate artificial intelligence into public administration, the greatest opportunity lies not only in the technology itself, but in the people and institutions that guide its use.
Kenya's experience demonstrates that digital transformation is built on more than infrastructure. By investing in public sector leadership, ethical AI governance, and digital skills through initiatives such as DigiKen, the country is strengthening its capacity to deliver more responsive, inclusive, and citizen-centered public services.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds, and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
