Development of Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI (GenAI) in Mauritania

Result of Service

• Diagnostic report summarizing key findings and stakeholder inputs. • Annotated outline and draft framework of the AI code of ethics. • Final version of the framework of the AI code of ethics. • Presentation slides and summary brief. • Implementation advisory report. The report prepared should be in Arabic and in electronic format and not be less than 30 pages. A 2 to 4 pages executive summary of the report is required. The completed parts should be edited and saved in MS-Word (*.docx file) or an alternate compatible format. Note that PDF format will not be accepted. It should include a table of contents to be automatically updated followed by a list of all tables and figures. The various parts should be submitted in electronic form and sent to the email of the designated focal point. Attention is kindly drawn to the need to ensure that the final draft of the outputs be thoroughly reviewed prior to submission and to indicate the sources of tables and diagrams. References to reports and other substantive material should be clearly indicated within the text and noted at the end. It is also essential to send, with the completed output, photocopies or scans of at least the first page of books, reports and bulletins, used as reference material as well as copies of the pages quoted. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA. Their contents cannot and must not be presented, discussed or published without the express authorization of ESCWA. The consultant shall keep in mind that UN-ESCWA routinely checks all deliverables for plagiarism using readily available electronic tools. All previously published content, even if written by the selected consultant, must be clearly referenced where required within the text and end-noted at the end of the study. The report submitted by the consultant must not contain quoted, previously published text equalling more than 20 per cent of the total number of pages. The consultant shall not publish or announce or reveal the content of the report, partly or entirely, on social media or any other public channel, without ESCWA and MTNMA permission. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

16 weeks

Duties and Responsibilities

GENERAL SCOPE Generative AI (GenAI) represents a transformative leap in AI, capable of producing human-like content, automating creative tasks, and enhancing productivity across diverse sectors. Its potential spans from revolutionizing education and healthcare to streamlining government services and supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in content generation and product design. As such, GenAI can play a pivotal role in national socio-economic development by driving innovation, improving service delivery, and creating new economic opportunities. However, this potential must be balanced with proactive governance to mitigate risks such as misinformation, bias, data misuse, and intellectual property infringement. To harness GenAI responsibly, it is critical for governments to develop and adopt comprehensive national guidelines that define ethical boundaries, promote safe and transparent use, and set standards for both public and private sector deployment. Such guidelines should address key areas including data quality and privacy, transparency of AI-generated content, human oversight, accountability mechanisms, and the responsible integration of GenAI into critical infrastructure and public services. A national framework provides clarity for developers, users, and regulators, ensuring that GenAI innovation aligns with national values, legal frameworks, and societal well-being. Several countries have already taken steps in this direction. In the Arab region, Saudi Arabia’s SDAIA (Saudi Data and AI Authority) has issued guidelines for GenAI ethics focusing on fairness, safety, and accountability. The UAE, through its Artificial Intelligence Office, is also advancing efforts to develop policy frameworks that include generative AI within broader ethical and governance strategies. Internationally, the United States released an amendment to the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of AI , which includes mandates for managing the risks of GenAI in areas such as deepfakes and cybersecurity. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has incorporated GenAI provisions into its landmark AI Act , setting requirements for transparency and labeling of AI-generated content. Establishing national guidelines for GenAI is not merely a regulatory exercise; it is a strategic enabler of innovation, public trust, and global competitiveness. With the right governance, countries can unlock the full value of GenAI while ensuring its development and use remain ethical, inclusive, and aligned with long-term national interests. The United Nations (UN) is involved in enhancing the use of emerging technologies for sustainable development. In September 2024 during the Summit of the Future, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future and its annexes: the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and Declaration on Future Generations. Among its objectives , GDC aims to enhance the international governance of AI for the benefit of humanity. UN-ESCWA, through its technical cooperation program, is committed to provide technical assistance to its member states to boost national efforts towards the achievement of the 2030 Development Agenda. Recently, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Modernization of Admin (MTNMA) in Mauritania requested UN-ESCWA’s assistance in developing the national guidelines of GenAI use. The provision of this advisory service is the subject of these terms of reference. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant shall propose to the designated ESCWA focal point a detailed version of the national GenAI Guidelines in Mauritania. The expert will be responsible for the following tasks, organized into four phases: Phase 1: Review and Diagnostic • Review best regional and international best practices related to GenAI policies and guidelines (at least 2 selected regional and 2 international cases); • Define the risks associated with the Gen AI application in Mauritania across different sectors. • Identify main national stakeholders, hold, in coordination with MTNMA, interviews and meetings with the main national stakeholders and provide a summary of each meeting/interview of the discussed points, their remarks, observations and proposals; • Contribute to sectoral workshops to discuss needs and priorities, if needed. Phase 2: Development and Drafting • Prepare the needed GenAI Guidelines based on international and regional best practices, gap analysis and national needs (SWOT analysis). Those guidelines should include: - Acceptable use cases for GenAI in public sector in specific; - Type of data that could be used by GenAI; - Transparency and disclosure requirements (e.g., AI-generated content labeling); - Human oversight and accountability; - Data privacy and security considerations; - Intellectual property and content ownership; - Risk mitigation for bias, misinformation, and manipulation. • Ensure alignment with Jordan’s AI strategy and public administration reform agenda. Phase 3: Consultation and Finalization • Contribute to national workshop (physically or remotely) and capture the main comments and discussions. • Update the draft proposal according to all feedback and comments received during the reviewing process by ESCWA and MTNMA teams. • Prepare a short presentation and briefing note summarizing key elements. Phase 4: Advice on Implementation • Provide recommendations on dissemination, and awareness-raising, and implementation. ESCWA promotes gender equality and integration of youth through its publications and therefore the consultant should pay attention, with the help of ESCWA staff, to gender considerations and youth dimension throughout the research work to ensure that the report gives equal attention to the needs of both men and women, as well as girls and boys. Writing should use gender-sensitive language.

Qualifications/special skills

A masters degree or equivalent in AI, ICT, technology, engineering, computer science or a related field is required. A Ph.D. degree is desirable. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. At least 10 years of professional experience in technology related issues including 5 years in the domain of digital technologies is required. Previous experience in the development of national policies and strategies is required. Previous experience in the delivery of research papers is desirable. Previous experience in the Generative AI is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, Fluency in written and spoken Arabic is required; Knowledge of English or French is desirable. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas. Result of Service

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.