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Atlas AI Institute — Policy Archive

Global South AI Policy Frameworks

National AI governance blueprints for emerging and developing economies.

30
Frameworks
30
Economies
5
Regions
About the Collection

A reference library, not a rulebook

What is it? The Global South AI Policy Framework Collection is a set of 30 model national AI governance frameworks, published in 2026 by Atlas AI Institute (author: Nafiul Ahmad Rafi) under a CC BY 4.0 licence, covering 30 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Small Island Developing States.

The Global South AI Policy Framework Collection brings together thirty structured, adaptable national AI governance blueprints developed for emerging and developing economies across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Small Island Developing States.

Each framework offers a starting reference point — covering governance structures, ethics and safety provisions, data governance, innovation policy, workforce development, and international cooperation — that governments, regulators, researchers, and development institutions can consult, adapt, and build on for their own national context.

These are model reference frameworks, not enacted law. The collection is an independent research publication by Atlas AI Institute. None of the thirty documents represent officially adopted government policy unless separately confirmed by the relevant national authority.
Policy Domains

Six domains, one governance architecture

Every framework in the collection is organized around the same six policy pillars, allowing consistent comparison across countries and regions.

  • 01

    Governance

    Institutional structures, regulatory authority, and oversight mechanisms for national AI ecosystems.

  • 02

    Ethics & Safety

    Risk classification, human rights safeguards, and responsible-use principles for AI deployment.

  • 03

    Data Governance

    Data protection, sovereignty, and lifecycle management underpinning trustworthy AI systems.

  • 04

    Innovation

    Incentives, sandboxes, and public-sector adoption pathways to grow domestic AI capacity.

  • 05

    Workforce

    Skills development, AI literacy, and labour-market transition planning.

  • 06

    International Cooperation

    Cross-border alignment, standards interoperability, and multilateral engagement.

Framework Collection

Browse all 30 frameworks

Search or filter by region, publication year, or country name. Every framework is available in full through the shared Zenodo repository.

Afghanistan

2026
Asia

A national reference framework outlining governance structures and regulatory oversight priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Afghanistan.

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Bangladesh

2026
Asia

A national reference framework outlining ethical safeguards and AI safety provisions priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Bangladesh.

View / Download

Bolivia

2026
Latin America

A national reference framework outlining data governance and protection standards priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Bolivia.

View / Download

Cambodia

2026
Asia

A national reference framework outlining innovation policy and public-sector AI adoption priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Cambodia.

View / Download

Central African Republic

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining workforce development and AI literacy priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Central African Republic.

View / Download

Ecuador

2026
Latin America

A national reference framework outlining international cooperation and cross-border alignment priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Ecuador.

View / Download

Egypt

2026
Middle East

A national reference framework outlining governance structures and regulatory oversight priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Egypt.

View / Download

Eswatini

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining ethical safeguards and AI safety provisions priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Eswatini.

View / Download

Ethiopia

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining data governance and protection standards priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Ethiopia.

View / Download

Fiji

2026
Small Island Developing States

A national reference framework outlining innovation policy and public-sector AI adoption priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Fiji.

View / Download

Ghana

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining workforce development and AI literacy priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Ghana.

View / Download

Guinea

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining international cooperation and cross-border alignment priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Guinea.

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Honduras

2026
Latin America

A national reference framework outlining governance structures and regulatory oversight priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Honduras.

View / Download

Jamaica

2026
Small Island Developing States

A national reference framework outlining ethical safeguards and AI safety provisions priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Jamaica.

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Kenya

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining data governance and protection standards priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Kenya.

View / Download

Kuwait

2026
Middle East

A national reference framework outlining innovation policy and public-sector AI adoption priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Kuwait.

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Madagascar

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining workforce development and AI literacy priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Madagascar.

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Malawi

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining international cooperation and cross-border alignment priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Malawi.

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Maldives

2026
Small Island Developing States

A national reference framework outlining governance structures and regulatory oversight priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Maldives.

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Nepal

2026
Asia

A national reference framework outlining ethical safeguards and AI safety provisions priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Nepal.

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Oman

2026
Middle East

A national reference framework outlining data governance and protection standards priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Oman.

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Pakistan

2026
Asia

A national reference framework outlining innovation policy and public-sector AI adoption priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Pakistan.

View / Download

Panama

2026
Latin America

A national reference framework outlining workforce development and AI literacy priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Panama.

View / Download

Rwanda

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining international cooperation and cross-border alignment priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Rwanda.

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Saudi Arabia

2026
Middle East

A national reference framework outlining governance structures and regulatory oversight priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

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Senegal

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining ethical safeguards and AI safety provisions priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Senegal.

View / Download

Tanzania

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining data governance and protection standards priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Tanzania.

View / Download

Uganda

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining innovation policy and public-sector AI adoption priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Uganda.

View / Download

Zambia

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining workforce development and AI literacy priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Zambia.

View / Download

Zimbabwe

2026
Africa

A national reference framework outlining international cooperation and cross-border alignment priorities for building a responsible, inclusive AI ecosystem in Zimbabwe.

View / Download

No frameworks match your search or filters.

Global South Coverage

Five regions

  • Africa

    14 countries

    Central African Republic, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

  • Asia

    5 countries

    Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Pakistan

  • Middle East

    4 countries

    Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia

  • Latin America

    4 countries

    Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama

  • Small Island Developing States

    3 countries

    Fiji, Jamaica, Maldives

Standards & Reference Base

Aligned with leading international instruments

Each framework draws on established global AI governance instruments as its reference base, adapted to national context.

  • EU AI Act

    Risk-based regulatory model for AI systems in the European Union.

  • UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI

    Global normative standard on AI ethics adopted by UNESCO member states.

  • OECD AI Principles

    Intergovernmental principles for trustworthy, human-centred AI.

  • NIST AI Risk Management Framework

    US framework for managing risks across the AI system lifecycle.

  • African Union Continental AI Strategy

    Continental strategy guiding AI adoption and governance across Africa.

  • ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics

    Regional guidance for responsible AI governance in Southeast Asia.

Implementation Guide

Using the frameworks in practice

  1. 01

    Adapt to local context

    Each framework is a starting reference — provisions should be reviewed against existing national law, institutional capacity, and regional commitments before adoption.

  2. 02

    Customize by domain

    Governments may draw on individual chapters — governance, data protection, workforce — rather than adopting a framework in full.

  3. 03

    Available formats

    Frameworks are published as structured policy documents through the shared Zenodo repository, downloadable individually or as the full collection.

  4. 04

    Licensing for reuse

    All frameworks are released under CC BY 4.0, permitting reuse, adaptation, and redistribution with attribution to the author and Atlas AI Institute.

Collection Specifications

Format
Structured policy document
Frameworks
30
Version
1.0
Publication year
2026
License
CC BY 4.0
Repository
Zenodo
Who Uses This Collection

Built for policy practice

  • Government

    Ministries and regulators drafting or reviewing national AI policy.

  • Academia

    Researchers studying comparative AI governance in developing economies.

  • Development Organisations

    Agencies supporting digital governance capacity-building programmes.

  • International Institutions

    Bodies coordinating cross-border AI governance alignment.

  • Civil Society

    Organisations advocating for rights-respecting, inclusive AI policy.

Citation & Repository

Cite the collection

Ahmad Rafi, N. (2026). Global South National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework Collection (2025–2026) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. Atlas AI Institute. Zenodo.
Author: Nafiul Ahmad Rafi / Atlas AI Institute
Repository: Zenodo
CC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution
Open on Zenodo
FAQ

Common questions

Are these officially adopted government policies?

No. These are independently developed reference frameworks published by Atlas AI Institute. They are intended as adaptable policy blueprints, not enacted national law, unless a specific government has separately confirmed formal adoption.

Do all 30 countries have separate DOIs?

No. All thirty frameworks are published together as a single collection under one shared DOI (10.5281/zenodo.20855849) on Zenodo, versioned as a set rather than as individually registered records.

Can I adapt a framework for my own country or organisation?

Yes. The collection is released under CC BY 4.0, which permits reuse, adaptation, and redistribution provided appropriate credit is given to the author and Atlas AI Institute.

What policy areas does each framework cover?

Each framework addresses governance, ethics and safety, data governance, innovation, workforce development, and international cooperation, structured consistently across all 30 countries.

How do I download a specific country's framework?

All frameworks are hosted together in the Zenodo repository. Use the "View / Download" link on any country card, or the "Access Full Collection" button, to reach the repository.

How should I cite this collection?

Use the citation provided in the Citation & Repository section above, or the "Copy citation" button, which copies a ready-to-use reference including the DOI.

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