From 3–5 November 2025, 32 judges, magistrates and justice sector officials attended UNESCO’s Artificial Intelligence and the Rule of Law training at the UN House in Windhoek. Senior members of the judiciary—including Justice Hosea Angula and Justice Shafimana Ueitele—joined interactive sessions examining how AI is reshaping judicial work. The program explored AI’s role in research, case management and predictive tools, while addressing issues such as judicial independence, ethics, cybersecurity and bias.
UNESCO Representative Eunice Smith noted that the workshop forms part of wider efforts to build national AI capability, following earlier training for Members of Parliament and the launch of a free online course on AI governance. She stressed that equipping judges to use AI responsibly is essential to protecting rights and strengthening the rule of law. Additional remarks from partners—including Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology—emphasised the need for institutional readiness, safeguards, transparency and human oversight.
Throughout the sessions, participants considered practical AI applications and the safeguards required for rights-based, trustworthy systems. UNESCO specialist Dr Kamel El Hilali reiterated that AI is a support tool, not a replacement for human judgment. Speakers, including Senior Legal Officer Silas Shimakeleni, highlighted the importance of judicial understanding of emerging technologies to maintain fairness, accountability and administrative justice. The workshop concluded with discussions on next steps for integrating AI into Namibia’s judiciary, focusing on sustainable capacity building, regulatory development and protecting human rights through responsible AI adoption.
Source: UNESCO.org
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