On the sidelines of UNESCO’s Fourth Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, The Gambia’s higher education minister has secured Saudi Arabia’s backing for a push to put artificial intelligence at the center of universities, technical colleges and madrassa reform.
Prof. Pierre Gomez, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, used the 14–17 September 2026 meeting in Riyadh to argue for human-centered, responsible AI. He stressed human oversight, data protection, academic integrity, digital sovereignty and inclusive access, warning that poorly managed technology could deepen dependency rather than support development.
Speaking on a panel about sustaining education’s public purpose in the AI age, Gomez said academic freedom and student data must be protected and that technology deals should include real skills transfer. Continuous capacity building, he said, is essential if higher education is to keep pace.
In a separate high-level dialogue, he outlined Gambian plans to weave AI ethics, data protection and algorithmic accountability into tertiary programs, expand research in AI and mathematical modeling, and grow digital skills through universities and TVET institutions.
The most concrete outcome came in a bilateral meeting with Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). Gomez was joined by Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr. Samba Sowe, Ambassador Mambureh Njie and Deputy Head of Mission Omar Baldeh.
Talks focused on AI training, STEM and TVET links, and The Gambia’s Madrassa Integration Strategy. SDAIA pledged knowledge sharing, ties with Saudi universities and support for a madrassa modernization pilot that would bring STEM and technical skills into religious schools.
Saudi officials also offered master’s and PhD places in AI-related fields for Gambian lecturers and trainers, specialized courses, curriculum tools and training for local coders. The package is intended to help MoHERST make AI a general education requirement across tertiary institutions by 2027.
Both sides agreed to lock the partnership into a memorandum of understanding, with the Gambian embassy in Riyadh to lead the drafting.
