On 27 February 2026, the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence of Trinidad and Tobago, in collaboration with the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean and The University of the West Indies, hosted an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) Validation Workshop with critical stakeholders, at the university’s St. Augustine campus. UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology is implemented within the framework of the Trinidad and Tobago’s National AI Assessment in collaboration with UNDP.
The workshop sought to validate and refine the findings of UNESCO’s assessment of Trinidad and Tobago’s readiness to integrate inclusive, rights-based AI into its governance systems. Stakeholders from across national institutions, academia, civil society, and the private sector took part in the workshop. The Lead National Expert, Dr Letetia Addison, presented an overview of the preliminary findings derived from extensive national consultations, in which over 130 stakeholders contributed to evaluating Trinidad and Tobago’s AI ecosystem.
The session also served as a platform to consolidate stakeholder feedback and identify priority actions across the RAM’s five dimensions. Participants highlighted enhancing regional collaboration, addressing legal considerations for AI governance, integrating disability-inclusive approaches, and expanding public and institutional AI literacy initiatives. The workshop marked an important milestone in advancing the RAM process in Trinidad and Tobago, setting the foundation for a shared national roadmap for ethical and inclusive AI development.
The RAM supports Member States around the world in assessing their national preparedness for the ethical governance and implementation of AI. Its application helps countries evaluate policy, legal, institutional, and technical capacities relevant to AI ethics. It also provides evidence-based guidance for the development of inclusive national AI strategies and policies.
UNESCO’s work on AI is anchored in the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence adopted in 2021. This landmark instrument provides a normative architecture grounded in shared values and is the first international standard-setting framework to ensure that AI technologies are developed and used in ways that uphold human rights, fairness, and transparency.
