ADDIS ABABA- As the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) grows at the global level, policy adoption on the subject is becoming almost obligatory to Ethiopia, the Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) said.
The IFA held a discussion forum on AI and its impact on foreign relations here yesterday.
Cognizant of the AI’s growing impact on foreign relations of countries, the Ethiopian Government is assessing policy instruments to capitalize on the system, the IFA General Director Jafar Bedru stated in his opening remark.
According to Jafar, Ethiopia, as a developing country, is facing threats posed by AI. On the other hand, the IFA, as a policy-formulating institution, has been researching how Ethiopia could fight challenges and have fair benefits from dividend of AI legacies.
“As development varies from place to place, it is inevitable that there would be some countries dominating others. The would-be adopted policy also needs to consider all causes that AI will pose.”
Head of the Office of Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Eshete Tilahun also indicated that developed nations have employed AI on military and diplomatic apparatuses which aggravate the inequality among countries.
The AI has posed insecurity, cyber-attacks, misinformation and disinformation. All threats that are being posed by the new technology should be governed by the strong and new legal framework, he added.
The UN has already begun an international negotiation to endorse the law and Ethiopia also deserves to take a role and share the benefit from such activities. Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following the progress to amend national law which could serve as a framework to engage in international negotiations.
As to Ambassador Eshete, international law will be fair if developing countries like Ethiopia will make meaningful participation in the formulation process. “The Ethiopian government has taken national policy adoption, then it will advocate for equity in AI.”
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 6 MARCH 2024
