Under South Africa’s 2025 presidency, the G20 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development held its first meeting on 25-26 February 2025. The Task Force recognised that effective digital governance requires civil servants to develop digital competencies alongside sector-specific expertise. UNESCO was appointed a privileged knowledge partner, and the meeting encouraged strengthening international cooperation on AI scientific research, innovation and development through targeted training and skills development. The ‘AI for Africa’ initiative was launched, focusing on training programmes for African women and expanding access to AI-ready datasets and skills development. UNESCO established the Technology Policy Assistance Facility to help governments develop evidence-based technology policy frameworks and address capacity gaps in digital governance.
Who it affects: Government agencies and civil servants in G20 member states; developing countries seeking capacity building in AI governance; African institutions and women in STEM fields; public sector digital transformation initiatives.
What is notably missing: The Task Force declarations and initiatives are non-binding cooperative agreements, not enforceable mandates. There is no requirement that G20 members implement civil servant AI training, no timeline for adoption, and no dedicated funding allocation for capacity building programmes. The initiatives are voluntary and rely on countries choosing to participate. No minimum standards are defined for what constitutes adequate civil service AI competency, and no enforcement mechanism exists to verify implementation.