AI for Development research partners appointed to the UN’s new expert panel on artificial intelligence

The independent panel is the first global scientific body of its kind. It aims to bring experts together to assess how technology is transforming the world and its people.

All three AI4D representatives are principal investigators at AI4D labs housed in public universities across sub-Saharan Africa. Together, these labs advance responsible, locally grounded AI research and develop solutions aligned with regional priorities.

Tegawendé Bissyandé – CITADEL 2.0, Burkina Faso

Tegawendé Bissyandé is a principal investigator at the Centre of Interdisciplinary Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Development (CITADEL 2.0), based at the Université Virtuelle du Burkina Faso. CITADEL seeks to foster innovation in responsible AI, democratize AI education and contribute to an enabling policy and practice environment aligned with ethical standards and local needs.

Bissyandé described his appointment is “above all a recognition of a community: the researchers, student and partners of CITADEL and IDRC who work toward useful and responsible AI.” He added, “I therefore commit to bringing the realities and aspirations of our communities to this panel so that AI can truly serve human development.”

Bissyandé is also chief scientist at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust in Luxembourg.

Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende – AI4D research lab, Uganda

Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende is the principal investigator at the AI4D research lab at Makerere University in Uganda. The lab supports research and capacity building in the development and deployment of responsible AI to address national priorities and contributes to the strengthening of a network of AI research and capacity-building labs across Africa.

She noted that "the appointment on the panel is a great opportunity for me to bring scientific evidence from the Global South on the development and governance of Artificial Intelligence." Nakatumba-Nabende is a senior lecturer in the College of Computing and Information Sciences at Makerere University. She has also been recognized as one of the top 100 Career Women in Africa 2025 and was honoured by 100 Women Davos as a trailblazer shaping the future of AI.

Vukosi Marivate – AI4D African Languages Lab, South Africa 

Vukosi Marivate is the principal investigator at the AI4D African Languages Lab at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. The lab works to unlock the potential of African-language-based AI applications to address development challenges. 

Marivate said he is “honoured to have been selected to serve on this panel. I look forward to continuing to share experiences and perspectives from across the African continent, and to learning from the rich insights and expertise of my fellow panelists.”

A widely recognized AI expert, Marivate serves on several academic and technology-focused organizations in the sector.

The new UN panel, established by General Assembly resolution in 2025, will examine real-world AI opportunities, risks and impacts relevant to policy, including:

▪️ safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems
▪️ open-source software, open data and open AI models
▪️ social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and technical implications of AI
▪️ transparency, accountability and meaningful human oversight
▪️ protection and promotion of human rights in the context of AI

Two Canadians have also been named to the UN panel. Dalhousie University Computer Science Professor Rita Orji and AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, founder of Mila, Quebec’s world-renowned AI institute.