Gulf nations, including Qatar, are playing a key role in publicly confronting the human rights impact of unilateral coercive measures, particularly as these issues overlap with artificial intelligence (AI) development, UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan has said.

“I’m really happy that countries of the Gulf region are addressing these issues because it’s a first step that states are taking to prevent closing their eyes to the problem. Making it public and actively addressing it are very important,” she said, noting their strong support for relevant UN resolutions.

“I hope that it will continue in the future,” said Prof Douhan, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on the Enjoyment of Human Rights.

She was speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of a panel discussion at the International Conference on “Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights: Opportunities, Risks, and Visions for a Better Future” in Doha, which concluded Wednesday.

The session explored the evolution and current advancements of AI, including fundamental topics like machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and generative AI. It also underlined the innovative potential of AI systems and discussed the foundational principles for their responsible development and deployment.

About mitigating AI challenges stemming from unilateral sanctions and over-compliance, Prof Douhan pointed out that the core issues in the ‘cyber world’ remain consistent, suggesting an unwavering respect for international law, a fundamental pillar of the UN.

“Rule of law is really important because it provides for the possibility to avoid any discrimination towards states with due respect to the principle of sovereign equality of all states and to respect the rights of people in different countries around the world,” she said.

A second key mechanism, according to the Special Rapporteur, is the rigorous application of responsibility and accountability. She highlighted a persistent issue where states attempt to shift human rights violation liabilities to businesses, while businesses, fearing penalties, claim helplessness.

Prof Douhan noted that she recently finalised “guiding principles and sanctions business and human rights” and an accompanying commentary, which define the rights and responsibilities of both states and businesses.

“From the perspective of international law, it shall not be the choice either or either responsibility of states or responsibility of businesses. In reality, it’s the responsibility of both states and businesses to make sure that human rights are not violated,” she stressed.

Prof Douhan stressed the imperative for states and individuals to actively collect facts and understand the precise impact of sanctions. Her mandate last year launched a monitoring tool to publicly demonstrate the often-denied humanitarian consequences of unilateral sanctions.

Prof Douhan lauded the multidisciplinary scope of the conference, noting it was particularly valuable for bringing together professionals from diverse fields—lawyers, technical scientists, and human rights specialists—who typically operate in silos.

“It’s very good for all of us having the possibility to listen to the position of other specialists so that we can use the multi-disciplinary approach,” she said, as she underlined the event’s focus on all categories of human rights and the wide array of challenges posed by cyber technologies and AI development.