Advancing Judicial Excellence: UNICRI and the Supreme Judiciary Council of the State of Qatar Sign an Accord on Technical Cooperation

The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the Supreme Judiciary Council of the State of Qatar have signed an Accord on Technical Cooperation, initiating a new capacity-building training programme for the judiciary to be led by UNICRI's Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. UNICRI was represented by Mr. Leif Villadsen, Acting Director, and the Supreme Judiciary Council was represented by H.E. Khalid Mohammed Al Mansouri, Vice President of the Court of Appeal of the State of Qatar. The signing ceremony took place in a hybrid format, with representatives joining from the UNICRI headquarters in Turin (Italy), the UNICRI Centre for AI and Robotics in The Hague (the Netherlands), and the Supreme Judiciary Council in Doha (Qatar).

The initiative titled "Advancing Judicial Excellence: Consultations and Mentoring in AI, Criminal Justice, and Human Rights for the Supreme Judiciary Council of the State of Qatar" aims to enhance AI literacy, promote responsible AI innovation within the justice system, and increase awareness of AI-related and emerging crimes relevant to the judiciary. Covering topics ranging from cybercrime and algorithmic accountability to the responsible use of AI in courtrooms, this training initiative will equip criminal court judges with the knowledge needed to proceed with confidence. It will also demonstrate how AI can enhance efficiency, transparency, and access to justice.

Leif Villadsen, Acting Director of UNICRI, emphasized the importance of the project, stating that this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing justice, strengthening institutions, and enhancing the resilience of judicial systems in the face of rapid technological change.
Irakli Beridze, Head of UNICRI Centre for AI and Robotics, highlighted that this pioneering initiative embodies the vision of a judiciary that is future-ready, capable of delivering justice in an increasingly digital world, ensuring equity, and firmly aligned with international standards and best practices.

In today's world, judges must be prepared to address new and complex challenges, especially those arising from emerging technologies such as AI. This initiative places particular emphasis on ensuring that such technologies are integrated responsibly, always within a framework grounded in human rights, ethics and criminal justice principles. The focus will be not only on boosting technical knowledge, but also on fostering a judicial culture that ensures technologies serve justice, rather than undermine it.

To that end, the UNICRI Centre for AI and Robotics, established in The Hague in 2017, is responsible for enhancing understanding and addressing both the opportunities and challenges of AI and related new and emerging technologies from the perspective of crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law. Through research and awareness-raising, multi-stakeholder discussions and capacity-building activities, the Centre supports national authorities and relevant representatives within the criminal justice system through various programmes and projects.

This collaboration embodies those goals and comes in the context of the State of Qatar's resolution to strengthen the judiciary in line with international standards, reflecting a forward-looking vision - one where efficiency, transparency, and fairness work hand in hand.