It brings together all 193 United Nations Member States, the private sector, civil society, academia and technology to share best practices and build common approaches to AI governance.
The first meeting of the Dialogue will take place in Geneva in July; Their discussions will be based on data being collected by another UN AI initiative: the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI.
This is spearheaded by Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and iconic computer scientist Yoshua Bengio.
‘Based on science and evidence’
UN special envoy for digital and emerging technologies Amandeep Gill said the policy debate would be “based on science and evidence”, and a range of perspectives would be considered.
“This is what policy debates should be, and the UN is very proud to facilitate this first confluence of science and policy in a fast-paced emerging technology.”
Ahead of the UN AI governance meeting in Switzerland, discussions continue between all parties involved to ensure that the best national initiatives on how to best use the technology can be shared.
The priorities of the Swiss meeting include promoting respect for human rights, developing security measures to prevent the technology from causing harm and discussing measures to close a huge gap in access to AI, explained Dialogue co-chairs Egriselda López and Rein Tammsaar.
In responses to media questions, the co-chairs and Mr. Gill clarified that military uses of AI would not be part of the discussion, but would address general security and human rights concerns.
They underscored optimism that the UN can serve as a global hub for sharing best practices and promoting an inclusive and action-oriented approach to AI governance.
Changing migration routes claim more lives, UN agency warns
Nearly 8,000 migrants were reported dead or missing worldwide in 2025, bringing the total number of deaths recorded since 2014 to more than 82,000, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed on Tuesday.
New data from IOM’s Missing Migrants Project and the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) show that while arrivals have decreased in some regions, migration routes are changing rather than easing. Enforcement and conflict are pushing people to undertake longer, more fragmented and increasingly dangerous journeys.
“Routes are changing in response to conflict, climate pressures and policy changes, but the risks remain very real,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope.
He highlighted that it is estimated that 340,000 relatives have been directly affected by these disappearances.
Significant change
The report highlights significant changes: while northward movements through Central America and arrivals to the Canary Islands decreased, travel became more geographically dispersed. In Europe, Bangladeshi nationals emerged as the largest arrival group as Syrian numbers dwindled.
Ahead of the International Migration Review Forum in May, IOM calls for stronger international cooperation.
The agency emphasizes that lower arrival numbers do not equate to safer travel, and urges sustained investment in evidence-based responses to save lives and support affected families.
Actress Lucy Hale, new WFP goodwill ambassador
American actress and producer Lucy Hale, star of the successful television series. pretty Little Liars – has been named Goodwill Ambassador of the World Food Program (WFP), the UN agency announced on Tuesday.
He will advocate on behalf of the more than 318 million people around the world who face extreme hunger.
Mrs. Hale is the daughter of a Tennessee farmer and a nurse. She has raised her voice on behalf of women and children and cares deeply about food security, smallholder farmers, and children’s health and education.
Honor, passion and commitment.
“It is the honor of my life to become a WFP Goodwill Ambassador,” she said. “It has long been my dream to give back in this way, and I look forward to highlighting WFP’s critical work in saving and changing lives around the world.”
Ms Hale has been raising awareness and support for WFP’s work since 2024, including in Sudan, Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine.
“In a world where so many people go to bed hungry, we are fortunate to have someone as passionate and committed as Lucy working with us,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.
“Your voice will bring attention to people and places that are often overlooked and help drive the actions needed to reach them.”
Ms Hale joins a list of WFP Goodwill Ambassadors, including American actress Kate Hudson and fashion designer Michael Kors, Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur and Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye.