29 April 2024, Banjul, The Gambia - The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Secretariat) wishes to inform the general public that the Focal Point on the Study on human and peoples’ rights and Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and other new and emerging technologies in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) – Honorable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, will be convening an Experts’ Validation Meeting on the said study from 2 to 4 May 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya.
The validation meeting, which is part of the promotion mandate of the Commission, is being organized within the framework of Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) and is in furtherance of ACHPR/Res. 473 (EXT.OS/ XXXI) 2021 which identified the need to undertake a Study on human and peoples’ rights and artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and other new and emerging technologies in Africa. The study is intended to contribute to the development of guidelines and norms that will address issues relating to AI technologies, robotics and other new and emerging technologies, and their impact on human rights in Africa.
The validation meeting involves the review of the preliminary draft of the Study to by experts not only to enrich the draft substantively and in terms of the coverage of the areas such a study covers in accordance with the established practice of the African Commission as well as alignment with the agreed scope, outline and methodology as conceived at the Inception Meeting but also to facilitate the contribution of the wider expert community. It will also serve as an opportunity to incorporate other elements necessitated by recent developments and discourse on AI, robotics, emerging technologies and human rights, and to agree on the final contents of the Report.
The Inception Meeting, which is organized with the technical support of the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (CHR Pretoria), will involve the participation of Honorable Commissioner Geereesha Ourveena Topsy-Sonoo ; experts in the field of human rights and new technologies and technical staff from the ACHPR Secretariat and CHR.
For further information, please contact:
1. Secretariat, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
31 Bijilo Annex Lay-out, Kombo North District Western Region.
P.O Box 673
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: +220 4410505/6
E-mail :au-banjul@africa-union.org
Attention: Mr. Angelo Jay Mayot (MayotA@africa-union.org) & Mr. Eugene Zwelithini Xaba (xabaz@africa-union.org).
2. The Centre for Human Rights
Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa 0002
Tel.: +27 (0) 12 420 3819 / +27 12 420 3034
Attention: Ms. Hlengiwe Dube (hlengiwe.dube@up.ac.za) & Mr. Henok Kremte (henok.kremte@up.ac.za)
