The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) held, on June 17, 2025, a high-level (virtual) meeting to consider and adopt the final version of the “ALECSO Charter on AI Ethics”.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, underlined the importance of this project which has yielded the first Arab reference framework that sets out the ethical principles associated with the use of artificial intelligence in the fields of education, culture, and science. He noted that the Charter comes in response to the need for clear guidelines that respect human values while taking into consideration the specificities of Arab societies.
During the meeting, presentations were offered by Dr. Mohamed Jemni, Director of ICT and Chair of the Drafting Committee, Dr. Maledh Marrakchi from Tunisia, and Dr. Ashraf Darwish from Egypt, in which they reviewed the stages of preparation of the Charter, the work methodology, and the main observations and suggestions that enriched the document.
The meeting was attended by official representatives and experts from over 16 Arab countries, including officials in charge of digital transformation and AI policies in the ministries of education, higher education, and communications, along with researchers and specialists from prestigious academic and professional institutions.
The preliminary version of the Charter was discussed by the participating delegations who provided their input and comments. The revised version was then unanimously approved and formally adopted.
The “ALECSO Charter on AI Ethics” is a groundbreaking strategic step aimed at providing a comprehensive an ethical framework for Arab countries in dealing with AI. It seeks to uphold such principles as fairness, transparency, privacy protection, respect for cultural diversity, and digital sovereignty, as well as to promote responsible innovation and foster regional and global cooperation in this vital field.
On this occasion, ALECSO affirmed its commitment to supporting Member States in implementing this Charter and transforming its provisions into practical policies and national legislation. This will help enhance the Arab world’s position in the global AI landscape, and ensure that these technologies are best harnessed to serve human development.
Link to the Charter
