At Shanghai summit, Cameroon calls out AI’s exclusion of the Global South 🌍🤖

Cliquez ici pour lire en français

Cameroon joined global discussions on artificial intelligence governance in China from July 17 to 20, 2026. At the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2026) in Shanghai, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng called for a bigger seat at the table for countries in the Global South when it comes to writing the rules that govern AI.

Cameroon makes the case for inclusive governance 🌐

WAIC is an annual international conference held in Shanghai, bringing together policymakers, researchers, and tech companies to discuss AI’s development, governance, and real-world uses.

On July 17, Li Likeng took part in a forum dedicated to AI governance and sustainable development, alongside government officials, researchers, and representatives from international organizations. The day before, she had signed the founding agreement of a new intergovernmental body, making Cameroon one of its founding members.

Speaking at the event, the minister argued that countries in the Global South should have a full say in shaping the rules that will govern this technology. According to multiple outlets, including China’s CGTN on July 19, she reportedly said the Global South should no longer be treated as a passive consumer of technology built elsewhere, or as a recipient of rules it had no hand in writing.

A bigger role for developing countries 🤝

The discussions also focused on where developing countries stand in global AI governance. Panelists tackled ethics, safety, data protection, intellectual property, and AI models themselves.

Khaled Ghedira, vice president of the African Council for Scientific Research and Innovation, called for a more inclusive model — one where every country gets to shape how AI is designed, regulated, and used, not just adopt it after the fact.

Infrastructure at the center of the conversation 📡

Speakers also addressed what it will actually take for AI to develop in the Global South. Zhao Houlin, former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), pointed out that roughly 2.2 billion people worldwide still don’t have internet access — a number that puts the idea of a truly « global » AI in perspective.

Conversations also touched on telecom networks, data centers, cloud infrastructure, computing capacity, and energy supply, along with training, research, and funding mechanisms for universities, governments, startups, and companies.

Several initiatives unveiled 📊

The forum was also the stage for several AI governance initiatives: a new version of an AI agent built for ethical evaluation, a global AI governance index covering 40 economies, and a compendium on AI applications among small and medium businesses in Shanghai. Five thematic reports were also released.

A separate panel focused on the AI Governance Capacity Development Network, a UN-backed initiative launched in Geneva in July 2026 that now counts 23 member centers.

Cameroon restates its priorities 🇨🇲

On the sidelines of the forum, Li Likeng reiterated Cameroon’s digital priorities: building out infrastructure, strengthening skills, supporting research, backing startups, protecting data, and integrating AI into public services.

One question remains: beyond the speeches in Shanghai, how will this ambition actually play out in the months ahead? Tell us in the comments — what would it take for AI governance to genuinely include Africa?