EuroMedAI Statement | UN Resolution 79/325 & The Future of AI
The UN General Assembly has officially confirmed the 40 members of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. EuroMedAI is pleased to see a presence from our region, ensuring that the unique socio-economic and cultural contexts of the Mediterranean basin and Europe are represented.
The UN General Assembly has officially confirmed the 40 members of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. EuroMedAI is pleased to see a presence from our region, ensuring that the unique socio-economic and cultural contexts of the Mediterranean basin and Europe are represented. Out of the 40 experts, the Panel includes 12 experts from the Euro-Mediterranean region, with 6 from the Mediterranean basin and 1 from the MENA region (Egypt).
Established by General Assembly resolution 79/325, this Panel is the first permanent scientific body within the UN system dedicated to AI. It is tasked with producing annual, non-prescriptive assessments of AI’s risks, opportunities, and societal impacts. For EuroMedAI, this body represents a vital opportunity to ensure that AI development is grounded in scientific rigor rather than geopolitical competition.
EuroMedAI’s operational standards
In alignment with calls by global civil society peers, EuroMedAI calls on the Panel to adopt the following operational standards:
Transparency: We urge the Panel to publish its operating procedures and mandatory conflict-of-interest disclosures immediately.
Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs): The Panel must go beyond technical safety and prioritize HRIAs. This includes evaluating AI’s effect on labor rights, privacy, and freedom of expression.
Civil society engagement: We call for a formal mechanism to engage civil society and academia throughout the assessment process. The “Global Dialogue on AI Governance” must be an open forum, not a closed-door briefing.
Bridging the digital divide: The Panel must ensure that its focus remains on bridging the digital divide. We echo calls to prioritize the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Global South, ensuring AI models are fair and non-discriminatory for marginalized groups.
Independence: We support the call for the Panel to remain financially and institutionally independent, funded through the UN regular budget to prevent capital-intensive sponsors from exerting undue influence.
Learn more: Independent International Scientific Panel on AI
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