Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tuesday, 3 February 2026 – Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, delivered the opening statement at the Artificial Intelligence Forum during the World Governments Summit 2026 in Dubai, an annual global platform that convenes world leaders, policymakers, innovators, and private-sector executives to shape the future of governance and technology.
In his address, the Chief Minister emphasized that governments must focus not only on artificial intelligence as a technology, but on the values, ethics, and humanity embedded within it. He highlighted Sierra Leone’s transformation journey under the leadership of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, guided by the Big Five Game Changers, particularly Pillar Four: Infrastructure, Technology, and Innovation.
Dr. Sengeh outlined key progress achieved in recent years, including near-universal 3G coverage, almost 90% 4G penetration, and a fully deployed fiber-optic network across Freetown. These investments have expanded access to digital financial services, doubled financial inclusion indicators, empowered more women economically, and improved service delivery through AI-enabled solutions. He also noted the deployment of digital tools in education, healthcare, food security, and environmental governance, including the use of satellite imagery to inform environmental policy and digital health solutions that have contributed to a significant reduction in maternal mortality.
During the forum, the Chief Minister centered his remarks on three critical principles:
- Techquity – The deliberate use of AI and digital technologies to include those at the margins of society, ensuring technology bridges the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” and promotes fairness and social justice.
- Interdependence – In a world where multilateralism is under pressure, technology and AI must strengthen global cooperation, enhance preparedness for pandemics and environmental disasters, and reinforce the reality that no nation can develop in isolation.
- Shared Prosperity – Leaders must move beyond innovation for profit alone and ask how AI and digital solutions can create a more just world, enabling every child whether born in Sierra Leone, the UAE, or the United States to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to global development.
The Chief Minister reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to leveraging technology, innovation, and global partnerships to accelerate inclusive growth, strengthen human capital development, and deliver tangible outcomes under the Big Five agenda.
