Smart Africa’s Post

A landmark decision was made last week as African ICT and communications ministers approved the Continental Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy and African Digital Compact. These initiatives are poised to accelerate Africa's digital transformation by leveraging new technologies and unlocking their potential across the continent. From June 11 to 13, 2024, over 130 African ministers and experts convened virtually for the 2nd extraordinary session of the specialised technical committee on communication and ICT. The discussions focused on the rapid evolution of digital technologies, particularly AI, and their applications in transforming Africa's socio-economic landscape. The Continental AI Strategy guides African governments on harnessing artificial intelligence to achieve development goals and enhance people's well-being. It emphasizes ethical AI use, risk mitigation, and seizing opportunities to foster innovation. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid أماني أبوزيد, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, highlighted Africa's commitment to leveraging technology for the benefit of its people. He underscored the importance of adapting AI to reflect Africa's diverse cultures, languages, and geographical contexts, ensuring inclusivity and competitiveness in the global AI market. "AI presents tremendous opportunities for positive transformation, economic growth, and social progress in Africa," said Dr. Abou-Zeid. "Approving this strategy will pave the way for responsible AI innovation and adoption across the continent, fostering a unified approach to digital development." #AI #DigitalTransformation #Africa #ICT #AfricanUnion #Innovation #DigitalCompact #EthicalAI #DigitalStrategy #AIInAfrica #SustainableDevelopment To read more: https://zurl.co/KdZ7

This is a great development! The endorsement of the landmark Continental Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy and African Digital Compact by African ICT and Communications Ministers is a significant step towards accelerating Africa's digital transformation. This move is expected to: - Harness artificial intelligence to meet Africa's development aspirations and improve the well-being of its people. - Promote ethical use, minimize potential risks, and leverage opportunities' - Accelerate Africa's AI capabilities in infrastructure, talent, datasets, innovation, and partnerships. - Ensure adequate safeguards and protection from threats. - Foster sustainable development, economic growth, and societal well-being throughout Africa. - Position Africa at the forefront of the global digital economy. - Promote homegrown digital solutions and create a competitive African AI market. Africa is the next destination!! #AI #Africa #economicdevelopment

I had the honour of hosting a panel on “Fostering prosperity through policies on Artificial Intelligence in Africa” at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) summit with the formidable panelists @Ousman A. Bah Fayaz King, Sandra Makumbirofa, PhD and Baratang Miya. My greatest takeaway was that the future of AI in Africa is our shared responsibility. Together, we can work across industries to create a comprehensive policy framework that strikes a balance between responsible use and innovation.  As we discuss technology and the future of our continent, we need to consider practical applications, identify opportunities, and address challenges head-on and the only way we will succeed is if we work together. If we adopt a cohesive strategy, Africa will be able to fully utilise AI's potential while safeguarding its population. #UNECA #COM2024 #AIForAfrica  https://lnkd.in/dzZWkUQm 

H.E. Cina Lawson, Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation of Togo, delved into the key components necessary for driving AI growth across Africa. She emphasized the importance of enhancing infrastructure, particularly in Togo, where efforts are underway with support from The World Bank to bolster the nation's digital foundation and accelerate the adoption of AI technologies. Watch the event live: https://lnkd.in/gdQE9wuj #UnstoppableAfrica #GABI2024 United Nations Global Compact

Africa's boundless potential awaits a transformative force, and AI emerges as the catalyst for ushering in a new era of growth and prosperity. 📈 James Manyika, Senior Vice President of Technology and Society at Google-Alphabet, illuminated the profound impact of AI on Africa, transcending borders to unlock innovation, growth, and development opportunities at the Unstoppable Africa event. 🌍 Access more speaker clips: https://lnkd.in/ebZ88QNx #UnstoppableAfrica #GABI #AfricaRising United Nations Global Compact

African ICT and communications ministers last week approved the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and African Digital Compact, which aim to accelerate Africa's #digitaltransformation by unlocking the potential of the new digital technologies.#AI Amani Abou-Zeid أماني أبوزيد

How can we support a #responsible, #open & #inclusive #AI together with our African partners. Learn more about the Africa AI governance roundtable 👇👇👇 Sharmista Appaya Christine Zhenwei Qiang Casey Torgusson Peter Kusek

GSMA Highlights Nigeria’s AI-driven Path to Economic Growth and Climate Impact === #Agriculture and energy are among key sectors of AI opportunity in Nigeria as the African continent looks to untap almost $3 trillion of potential value by harnessing the new technology effectively ==== It follows the continent-wide report, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which highlighted that while Africa currently accounts for only 2.5% of the global AI market, emerging AI applications hold the potential to boost African economic growth by an astonishing $2.9 trillion by 2030. ==== DETAILS; https://lnkd.in/dd2vQ37f

📢 Save The Date AI Maturity Assessment Framework for South Africa 🌍 A collaborative effort of the project team below, who have crafted a plan to consider how we might determine the level of AI Maturity in South Africa, before we consider a strategy and/or policy on AI , so that such policies or strategies could be evidenced based and data led. FAIR Forward, a project of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH together with Department of Communications & Digital Technologies (DCDT), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and University of the Western Cape want you to join us on this journey. Make your voice heard, have your say on how we create, use, adopt and govern #AI in South Africa. Register now (link in comments) and find out more about the project and how you can get involved. More info to follow about the program. #AI #data #governance #aipolicy #africa #southafrica #framework #aimaturity #collaboration Leona Craffert (PhD)Prof Elizabeth (Liz) Archer Wouter Grove (PhD) Luisa Olaya Daniel Brumund debra setsiba Alfred Mashishi GIZ South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini Ulrich Bormann Angela Shumba Msizi Gwala CA(SA) Paul Plantinga Vukosi Marivate Ntsibane Ntlatlapa, PhD Kaven Naidoo

Namibia placed 9th in AI readiness among African countries Namibia ranks in ninth position among African countries most prepared for the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in 2024, a recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says. The ranking on the AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) suggests Namibia has made strides in developing the infrastructure and environment necessary to leverage AI technologies. The AIPI evaluates countries based on four critical factors–digital infrastructure, human capital, technological innovation and legal frameworks. https://lnkd.in/dFzp4H63 #namibia #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #infrastructure Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) Emma Theofelus Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) CRANAMIBIA