ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) and the United Nations University (UNU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate Project GovAI, a digital micro-learning and upskilling programme aimed at equipping civil and public servants with artificial intelligence (AI) skills.
The MoU was signed during Indus AI Week 2026 and will be coordinated by UNU-EGOV. The collaboration will draw on expertise from across the UNU system, including UNU-IAS in Tokyo, UNU-MERIT in Maastricht and the UNU Institute in Macao.
According to officials, GovAI is designed to support the AI upskilling of more than one million Pakistani civil servants by 2028. The initiative aligns with PDA’s five-year Digital Master Plan by focusing on strengthening institutional capacity to deliver modern and trusted digital public services.
Under the agreement, a time-bound discovery and testing phase will be undertaken to assess learning design, curriculum architecture and platform options. Early pilots, including micro-trainings, webinars and e-learning modules, will be conducted to evaluate localisation, engagement and measurement mechanisms. The process will culminate in an evidence-based decision package and sustainability model for potential large-scale implementation.
The partnership comes amid growing global emphasis on digital and AI transformation. International financial institutions have highlighted the productivity and economic growth potential of AI, while major analyses suggest generative AI could contribute trillions of dollars annually to the global economy and significantly boost global GDP over time.
Over the longer term, PDA and UNU will explore the possibility of developing GovAI into a reusable and sustainable national and global digital public good. This may include modular learning pathways, implementation playbooks and governance frameworks that other countries can adapt for responsible AI capacity building within government systems.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said AI is a national priority for Pakistan and would be used to make government services faster, simpler and fairer. She stated that the MoU between PDA and UNU would help build practical skills across the public sector, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, improve ease of doing business and expand access to services in line with the government’s vision for a Digital Nation Pakistan.
Vice Chairperson of PDA Mohammad J Sear said digital transformation is accelerating globally and GovAI would help ensure Pakistan’s civil service develops the practical AI and governance capabilities needed to implement the Digital Master Plan and enhance service delivery for citizens and businesses.
Rector of the United Nations University Tshilidzi Marwala said AI is reshaping development pathways and strengthening public sector capacity to use AI responsibly is essential for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering global cooperation.
Delfina Soares, Director of UNU-EGOV, said sustainable and inclusive transformation depends on governance and institutional capacity rather than technology alone, adding that GovAI would focus on building skills, institutional practices and trust to generate measurable public value and socio-economic progress.
