Sierra Leone Joins Regional Forum on AI and Democracy
Representatives from the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) gathered with West African electoral leaders and technology experts on October 14 at the AI and Democracy Forum to deliberate on the ethical deployment of artificial intelligence in democratic processes.
The Sierra Leone delegation included Abubakarr Mamoud Koroma, Electoral Commissioner for the Northern Region, and Dominic Mitchell Tucker, Executive Assistant to the Chief Electoral Commissioner. Their participation built upon momentum from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) workshop held a day earlier, which focused on establishing regional guidelines for AI in election management.
Organized by Yiaga Africa at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the conference hosted key stakeholders from international development and tech sectors. Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), delivered a keynote speech exploring how AI insights could assist INEC’s operations ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections.
Plenary panels featured practical demonstrations on AI integration by industry leaders, including Dave Liechtman of Microsoft, alongside opening remarks from representatives of Luminate, the British High Commission, and ECONEC Chairman Abdoulaye Sylla.
Supported by a broad coalition of international institutions, including UK International Development, the MacArthur Foundation, and the German Embassy, the forum concluded with a shared commitment to ensure AI adoption safeguards institutional transparency, accountability, and public trust across the region.
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