On June 2–3, 2025, global leaders, policymakers, and innovators gathered in Hamburg, Germany, for the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, a high-level event aimed at aligning technological advancement, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Among the key outcomes of the conference was the launch of the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible Artificial Intelligence for the SDGs, a global, multi-stakeholder commitment to ensuring that AI technologies are developed and applied in ways that are inclusive, ethical, sustainable, and human-centered.
Mobile Web Ghana is proud to have been among the 40 international organizations that endorsed this important Declaration. Representing the organization at the conference was our Director, Florence Toffa, who joined other global stakeholders in affirming the need for a rights-based, collaborative approach to AI governance, particularly in emerging economies.
At Mobile Web Ghana, we have long recognized the transformative power of AI and emerging technologies to address social and economic challenges. However, we also understand the risks of exclusion, bias, and harm if these technologies are developed without the voices and needs of underserved populations, particularly youth, women, and marginalized communities in Africa.
The Hamburg Declaration offers a shared framework for addressing these concerns. Structured around the five pillars of the 2030 Agenda—People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships, the Declaration calls on governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector to:
1. Promote and protect human rights, gender equality, and digital inclusion, especially for marginalized groups.
2. Ensure environmentally sustainable AI development aligned with climate goals.
3. Support inclusive economic growth by fostering local innovation and skills development.
4. .Safeguard information integrity and mitigate the misuse of AI for disinformation and harm.
5. Encourage multi stakeholder collaboration, open research, and shared governance of AI as a global public good.
As one of the few African organizations on the list of official endorsers, alongside institutions such as UNDP, UNICEF, GIZ, KfW, and Smart Africa, we brought forward perspectives rooted in community-based innovation, digital equity, and youth empowerment.
By endorsing the Hamburg Declaration, we reaffirm our organizational mission to promote AI education, digital literacy, and inclusive tech ecosystems that serve the broader goals of sustainable development in Ghana and across Africa.
The endorsement of the Hamburg Declaration marks a new milestone in our advocacy for inclusive digital transformation. As we continue to deliver capacity building programs, facilitate Artificial Intelligence awareness initiatives, and engage in policy dialogue, we do so with a renewed commitment to the values enshrined in the Declaration.
In line with the principles outlined in the Hamburg Declaration and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mobile Web Ghana is committing to the following actions:
1. Establishing AI Learning Hubs and Clubs in High Schools to promote early exposure to AI concepts and digital thinking among Ghanaian youth. (Aligned with SDG 4 – Quality Education and SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
2. Delivering AI Literacy Programs for Policymakers and Civil Society Organizations, aimed at fostering informed decision-making and responsible governance of emerging technologies. (SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions)
3. Launching an ‘AI for SDGs Fellowship’, designed to empower young leaders—particularly women—to develop AI-driven solutions to real-world development challenges. (SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 16)
4. Supporting Open Data and AI Tools for Development, enabling grassroots innovation through accessible technology and inclusive data ecosystems.
5. Prioritizing Gender and Inclusion-First AI Projects, ensuring that women and marginalized communities are not only participants but leaders in Africa’s AI future. (SDG 5 – Gender Equality)
These initiatives reflect our belief that responsible AI is not just a policy priority, it is a pathway to transformative, inclusive, and locally relevant development.
Read the full Hamburg Declaration here.
