Statement on Exclusion from the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance
Ethical AI Alliance - July 13, 2026

Civil society experts from the Global South were accepted to the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva on July 6 and 7, 2026. Several could not attend. The Ethical AI Alliance is documenting why.

The Global Dialogue was convened, in the words of its own organizers, to ensure that Global South participants engage "with full standing to shape outcomes — not as observers." We collected direct testimony from confirmed participants who were unable to attend due to visa delays and lack of travel funding. The gap between that commitment and what happened on the ground belongs on the record.

Access to AI governance spaces requires resources that most Global South organizations do not have. This is a structural problem. It requires a structural response.

We call on the organizers of the Global Dialogue, member states, and civil society funders to establish dedicated visa support and travel funding as standard conditions for future sessions.

Representation in AI governance is a precondition for legitimate AI governance.

If you were accepted to the Global Dialogue and unable to attend, submit your testimony below.

The Ethical AI Alliance operates across 60+ countries advancing ethical, inclusive, and accountable AI.