Fez Message: Global Roadmap for AI Ethical Governance

The “Fez Message”: Establishing a Global Framework for Human-Centered AI Governance At an international summit hosted by the Euro-Mediterranean University in Fez, global leaders and policymakers ratified the “Fez Message,” a landmark declaration calling for the ethical governance and multilateral regulation of Artificial Intelligence. Under the patronage of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, the conference convened 2,000 experts from 75 countries to address the profound civilizational shifts driven by autonomous systems and deep tech innovation. Executive Summary Ethical Mandate: Development must prioritize human dignity, transparency, and fairness. Governance Framework: Calls for flexible international regulatory frameworks to prevent technological fragmentation. Sectoral Impact: Focus on healthcare and infrastructure, emphasizing scientific reliability and data protection. Sovereignty & Diversity: Strong emphasis on digital sovereignty and cultural-linguistic respect in AI models. Multilateral Cooperation and Strategic Trust The Fez Message rejects technological isolation, positioning AI as a strategic tool in international relations. Participants emphasized that public trust depends on “explainability”—the ability of systems to provide transparent reasoning. Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa of the Muslim World League noted that trust must be built through robust evaluation and human-centered auditing. The Saudi Perspective: Leading the Sovereign AI Narrative The themes of the Fez Message align perfectly with Saudi Arabia’s proactive stance, especially as the Kingdom celebrates 2026 as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence.” SDAIA has already operationalized many of these global calls through its AI Ethics Framework and the National Strategy for Data and AI (NSDAI). By integrating over 430 government systems into its National Data Lake and prioritizing “sovereign compute,” the Kingdom is a primary example of how national digital sovereignty can be balanced with global ethical standards. Addressing Emerging Risks The declaration warned against AI-driven misinformation and hate speech, calling for international early warning systems. This places a premium on the intersection of AI and Cybersecurity for regional leaders, necessitating a “defense-in-depth” approach to algorithmic governance and data integrity.