The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has represented the First Lady of Ghana, Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama, at the “Fostering the Future Together” engagement held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

The high-level gathering brought together First Spouses from around the world and private sector leaders to explore ways of empowering children through technology, education and digital skills.

A key outcome of Ghana’s participation was the signing of an agreement between Dr Lartey, on behalf of Mrs Mahama, and Intel Corporation to support the expansion of the AI for Youth Programme in Ghana.

The collaboration, involving Intel, Coral Reef and the Ministry of Education, seeks to introduce responsible artificial intelligence education and learning opportunities into K-12 classrooms across the country, equipping young people with skills to engage safely and thoughtfully with emerging technologies.

The “Fostering the Future Together” initiative places emphasis on ensuring that children everywhere have access to the knowledge, tools and opportunities needed to learn, grow and thrive in an increasingly digital world.

The engagement also addressed the responsible use of technology, emerging online risks and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on education and the lives of young people. Private sector participants included Adobe, Amazon, Google, Intel, Starlink, Zoom and OpenAI.

Ghana’s participation builds on Mrs Mahama’s longstanding interest in education and the development of young people, including her advocacy for girl-child education through the Lordina Foundation.

The collaboration with Intel is expected to strengthen digital learning opportunities for Ghanaian children and support the development of skills needed to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

The initiative, convened by the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, was launched during the 80th UN General Assembly in 2025 and has since developed into a global coalition involving First Spouses and equivalent representatives from countries around the world.