By Politico Staff Writer
Sierra Leone and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have committed to partner in Artificial Intelligence.
The commitments were made at a meeting between President Julius Maada Bio and the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, on the sidelines of the 40th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in Paris, France.
According to a statement from presidency, Bio’s meeting with Ms Azoulay centered on the significant impact of his government’s flagship Free Quality Education programme. They also discussed the establishment of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).
Bio told the UNESCO boss that his government had prioritised education as the foundation to support all other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He added that the investment in education was an investment into the future and not about winning votes, noting that the expansion of the country’s fibre optic was in readiness for digital education.
President Bio, according to the State House dispatch, also highlighted the government's commitment to improving heritage sites, biodiversity and culture in Sierra Leone.
UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, based in Paris, France, whose mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.
The UNESCO Director-General Azoulay commended President Bio for prioritising education, particularly access to universal education and girls' education. She spoke about the ongoing collaboration between her organisation and the government on a diagnostic of the education system.
Ms Azoulay, according to State House, also informed the President that her organization would support various areas such as providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, support for planning and advocacy for more funding, support for teacher professional development and curriculum development and partner on Artificial Intelligence.
While in Paris, President Bio also took part in a high-level panel discussion on the theme: "Youth Perspectives on Multilateralism". During the discussion, he called for young people to be involved in the governance of the state and be agents of multilateralism.
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