On Friday, May 23, 2026, the city of Marrakech witnessed the official announcement of a new international cooperation platform named "Bridges of the Global South" (Puentes del Sur Global). This initiative was unveiled during the closing session of the tenth International Conference on Human Rights and Electoral Laws, a collaborative effort spearheaded by Morocco's National Human Rights Council and ALFA Academy from Mexico.
The announcement was made as part of the final declaration ratified by conference participants, set against a backdrop of rapid global changes involving digitization, artificial intelligence, and emerging issues that pose increasing challenges to democracy, human rights, and the safeguarding of public spaces.
In this context, Amina Bouayach emphasized that the "Bridges of the Global South" initiative represents a collective advocacy effort aimed at enhancing the realization of human rights in the digital era and the age of artificial intelligence. According to the final document of the conference, the new platform aims to establish a permanent space for collaboration and joint advocacy among southern countries by promoting the exchange of expertise and experiences in addressing emerging challenges, particularly those linked to digital transformations and the applications of artificial intelligence.
The initiative also seeks to develop mechanisms for coordination among various institutional, academic, and civil actors, allowing for the construction of shared approaches to protect fundamental rights and freedoms within digital spaces and artificial intelligence systems, as well as addressing emerging issues related to human rights, democracy, and electoral processes.
The conference urged both Amina Bouayach, who championed Morocco and Africa's hosting of the tenth conference, and the President of ALFA Academy in Mexico, to actively implement this initiative in the upcoming phase.
Participants, predominantly representing Latin American countries and Morocco, stressed that southern nations face similar challenges related to misinformation, algorithmic influence, the digital divide, and limited access to technological governance tools. They asserted that South-South cooperation has become an urgent strategic necessity.
This initiative aligns with the ongoing advocacy efforts of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council to enhance the contribution of southern countries to the establishment of international standards and concepts related to the protection of human rights.
The launch of the "Bridges of the Global South" comes at a time when there is a growing international call for developing more equitable and inclusive models for the governance of artificial intelligence, which take into account the particularities and challenges of developing countries, ensuring the respect of human rights and the preservation of democratic processes in the digital age.
As reported by iktissadkom.ma.
