Rwanda’s Minister of ICT & Innovation Paula Ingabire has announced an inaugural high-level summit on artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa. The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Rwanda (C4IR Rwanda), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), will host this landmark event set to take place at the end of 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda. The summit will convene eminent government and business leaders as well as experts from academia and civil society, to engage in a focused and collaborative dialogue on the role of AI in shaping Africa’s future.
The summit’s theme, “AI and Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa’s Workforce,” underscores the significance of harnessing the economic potential of AI and leveraging Africa’s demographic dividend—the fastest-growing workforce in the world. The summit will address critical topics such as access and inclusion while identifying common risks, barriers, and opportunities to devise an Africa AI strategy to accelerate economic opportunities and empower Africa’s workforce.
“Africa’s youthful workforce is uniquely positioned to be a strategic asset in the global AI agenda and can fuel tremendous growth for our economies. Governance and accessibility are critical to advancing these ambitions and ensuring AI is designed and adopted responsibly, inclusively, within a trusted environment. We look forward to the summit and engaging with leaders from across the continent to shape a unified AI agenda for Africa”. said Hon. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT & Innovation, Rwanda
The summit, which was announced during WEF’s Annual Meeting in Davos, is an outcome of the ongoing work of the AI Governance Alliance (AIGA), an initiative launched by WEF last year. AIGA convenes key stakeholders across the world to shape responsible AI development, application, and governance. The Africa summit seeks to address one of the key priorities of AIGA to ensure equitable distribution and enhanced access to AI, starting by convening thought leaders in geographic and economic areas that need more representation as highlighted in the AIGA briefing papers launched during the Annual Meeting.
“Bridging the digital divide in artificial intelligence is more than a necessity; it’s a critical global imperative. We are enthusiastic about our collaboration between the World Economic Forum and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Rwanda (C4IR Rwanda) for the upcoming AI Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. This collaboration symbolizes our shared dedication to crafting a pathway toward an AI future that is not only inclusive but also equitable. Together, we are committed to fostering an environment where innovation is limitless, ensuring that the benefits of AI extend across all borders and impact every community”. said Cathy Li, Head, AI, Data and Metaverse; Member of the Executive Committee
C4IR Rwanda, one of 19 centres worldwide that comprise the WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network, was established in 2020 and focuses on AI and data governance. The Africa summit is building on the Centre’s ongoing work in AI policy and ethical guidelines, including supporting the Government of Rwanda in developing its National AI Policy, launched last year— a significant step towards building a trustworthy and innovation-friendly AI ecosystem. As the only centre currently in Africa, C4IR Rwanda also serves as a convener for AI initiatives on the continent. It seeks to use the upcoming summit to deepen understanding of how AI can address African countries’ unique challenges and opportunities, particularly around access and inclusion.
“C4IR Rwanda is excited to host this landmark event on AI in Africa. It is timely that we have focused discussions rooted in the socio-economic and cultural contexts of the continent, and recognize the distinct opportunities for Africa to gain a competitive advantage. We look forward to welcoming leaders to Kigali later this year as we lay the foundation for an equitable and sustainable future, where the benefits of AI are shared, the risks are mitigated, and Africa’s economic potential is realized”. said Crystal Rugege, Managing Director, C4IR Rwanda
Rwanda’s announcement of the summit builds on a series of significant initiatives, positioning the country as a leading AI innovation hub for Africa, including hosting ICLR, the world’s premier conference on deep learning, the launch of Norrsken Kigali House, the largest entrepreneurship hub in Africa, and the set up of first BioNTainer as high-tech manufacturing solution for mRNA medicines.
