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The partnership between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Government of Zambia continues to strengthen, with a shared focus on youth empowerment, inclusive and ethical digital transformation. This was reaffirmed during a high-level engagement in Lusaka, where UNESCO’s Head of Social and Human Sciences for Southern Africa, Dr. Abdul Rahman Lamin, paid a courtesy call on Mr. Kangwa Chileshe, Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sport. The meeting underscored a common vision for inclusive national development and strengthened collaboration in advancing youth-centred programmes.Discussions emphasized the need to address emerging challenges facing young people in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Dr. Lamin highlighted the importance of ensuring youth are not left behind in Zambia’s digital transformation and called for active support towards the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM 2.0) process, stressing that meaningful youth participation is key to shaping an inclusive and future-oriented digital economy.Mr. Chileshe commended UNESCO’s longstanding support to Zambia, especially interventions targeting adolescent health and education. He further stressed the importance of the RAM 2.0 process in strengthening Zambia’s AI ecosystem, particularly in developing guidelines that promote the ethical use of emerging technologies.“Integrating youth voices and aspirations into policy processes remains a priority for government. Zambia’s development trajectory must indeed reflect the needs and potential of its young population, especially as the country embraces digital innovation,” Mr Kangwa noted. This strengthened partnership between Zambia and UNESCO was further reinforced through the successful convening of the Expert Consultation Meeting on the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM 2.0), held in Lusaka from 22–23 June 2026.The consultation, organized by UNESCO with support from the Japanese Funds in Trust (JFIT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Technology and Science, brought together various stakeholders, including government representatives, academia, research institutions, private sector actors, civil society organizations, and youth groups. The meeting provided an important platform to introduce stakeholders to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the RAM 2.0 framework, while strengthening evidence collection across key policy areas, identifying national strengths and gaps in AI governance, fostering inclusive and human rights-based multi-stakeholder dialogue, and agreeing on next steps and a roadmap for finalizing Zambia’s RAM 2.0 report.Dr. Abdul Rahman Lamin reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to supporting Zambia in translating ethical AI principles into practical governance systems. “UNESCO remains committed to helping countries, including Zambia, translate ethical AI principles into practical governance frameworks, policies, and institutional mechanisms. This consultation is not just about technology, it’s about shaping an inclusive, ethical, and sustainable AI future for Zambia.” Dr Lamin revealed. The Zambian Government highlighted that the RAM 2.0 consultation process comes at a critical moment as the country implements its National AI Strategy, with Permanent Secretary Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu describing the initiative as timely and strategic, while cautioning that without strong, ethically aligned governance frameworks, AI adoption could lead to risks such as privacy breaches, algorithmic bias, and increased inequalities.“By addressing governance gaps, building skills and strengthening infrastructure, Zambia can position AI as a catalyst for economic diversification, job creation for youths and sustainable development.” Dr Habeenzu highlighted. UNESCO echoed this sentiment, noting the importance of the RAM 2.0 exercise as Zambia prepares to review and renew its National AI Strategy ahead of its expiration at the end of 2026.“The assessment offers an evidence-based opportunity to take stock of progress made, identify emerging opportunities and challenges, evaluate institutional capacities, and generate recommendations that can inform Zambia’s next AI Strategy and governance framework.” Dr Lamin noted. In 2021, UNESCO Member States adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the first global normative framework guiding the ethical governance of AI. The Recommendation outlines four core values, ten principles, and eleven policy action areas to inform the responsible development and use of AI technologies.To operationalize this framework, UNESCO developed the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM), an evidence-based diagnostic tool that helps countries evaluate their AI governance ecosystems, identify gaps, and design tailored policy responses. To date, RAM has been implemented in over 70 countries globally, including six in Southern Africa: Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.Zambia is now the seventh country in the region to undertake this assessment and notably, the first to pilot the updated RAM 2.0 framework. The revised RAM 2.0 strengthens alignment with UNESCO’s ethical AI Recommendation by expanding thematic scope, improving consistency, and enhancing guidance for implementation. It also provides a more robust foundation for countries to develop inclusive and sustainable AI strategies.Through initiatives such as RAM 2.0, Zambia is positioning itself to harness the potential of artificial intelligence responsibly leveraging innovation to drive economic growth, social inclusion, and human dignity.