Suriname Takes Caribbean Lead With UNESCO’s New AI Readiness Review

Countries around the world are making very different choices about artificial intelligence, shaped by their economies, public institutions, cultures and levels of digital access.

Suriname has become the first country in the region to begin UNESCO's updated Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology, known as RAM 2.0, opening a national conversation about how AI can be introduced in ways that support development while protecting people, rights and public trust. The process began with an introductory stakeholder meeting on 27 August 2026, bringing government representatives, educators, businesses, technology specialists and civil society groups together to examine the country's current position and decide what responsible AI adoption should look like in a Surinamese setting.

A National AI Strategy Built Around Suriname's Own Needs

Countries around the world are making very different choices about artificial intelligence, shaped by their economies, public institutions, cultures and levels of digital access. Suriname's assessment will focus on the solutions that make sense for its own population rather than copying a model designed elsewhere, with attention given to governance, regulation, education, technical infrastructure, workforce skills and the safeguards needed to prevent harm.

Minister of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation Andrew Baasaron said the central question is not which international approach is considered best, but which choices are right for Suriname. RAM 2.0 will help the country identify where it already has useful capabilities, where gaps remain and what practical steps could prepare institutions and communities for a future in which AI plays a larger role in economic activity and public life.

More Than 100 Participants Join the First Conversation

The introductory meeting attracted 106 participants representing 67 institutions across 10 sectors, giving the assessment a broad foundation that reaches beyond government ministries or technology companies. This level of participation matters because AI can affect education, employment, business, public services, media, research and personal privacy, making it essential that the people shaping national policy understand the experiences and concerns found across society.

Surveys, interviews and sector-based consultations will form the next stages of the process, gathering evidence about how AI is already being used in Suriname and where organizations see opportunities for further adoption. These discussions will also explore whether the country has suitable laws, digital systems, professional skills and accountability measures to manage risks such as discrimination, weak data protection, unequal access, misinformation and decisions made without meaningful human oversight.

UNESCO Framework Puts Ethics at the Centre of AI Development

UNESCO introduced the Readiness Assessment Methodology to support the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted by its Member States in 2021 as the first global framework covering the ethical design, development and use of AI. The assessment translates those broad principles into a country-level process, allowing governments and communities to evaluate existing conditions before creating policies or expanding the use of automated technologies.

Eric Falt, UNESCO's Regional Director and Representative, described Suriname's early participation as a sign that the government wants to shape the AI agenda carefully from the beginning. As the first country in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean to undertake RAM 2.0, Suriname could provide useful lessons for neighbouring countries facing similar questions about limited resources, digital inclusion, skills development and effective regulation.

The assessment is not a final policy or a simple technology checklist. It is a structured opportunity for Suriname to understand its strengths, listen to different voices and develop recommendations grounded in local realities, giving the country a clearer path towards AI systems that create opportunities without leaving ethical responsibilities behind.