Public sector leaders and experts from East Africa have convened at the Eastern Africa Sub-regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence to explore how AI can be leveraged to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realize the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The session, titled “Leading in the Digital Era: How can Public Sector Leaders Leverage AI for the SDGs and for AU Agenda 2063?”, brought together a diverse panel of experts to discuss the intersection of AI, governance, and sustainable development.
Ms. Neema Lugangira, representing the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance from Tanzania, emphasized the crucial role of legislation in AI governance. “It is important to legislate the use of AI so that we can make sure there is ethical use of AI and we can strengthen the governance,” Lugangira stated. She reassured tech professionals that legislation shouldn’t be seen as a threat, drawing parallels with other regulated sectors.
Lugangira also highlighted the pressing issue of data monetization and its impact on African countries. “For AI to operate, we need data and data is money. There’s a huge issue of data monetisation. Unfortunately for African countries, we are being abused for our data,” she explained. “Most of the AI companies are multi-nationals and do not have headquarters in Africa. They come to Africa and extract data, and when our government wants to access that data, which was extracted for free, we pay for that data.”
Dr. Alonga Lina Sarah Mathew, Director General for Science Technology and Innovation in South Sudan, shed light on the challenges facing AI implementation in her country.
She identified four main obstacles: reliance on the private sector for key resources such as electrical supply and internet, lack of skilled personnel, absence of data infrastructure like data centers, and limited access to data.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Mathew affirmed the South Sudanese government’s commitment to the AI agenda.
Uganda’s perspective was presented by Ms. Agnes Namulindwa Lumala, representing the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. She highlighted Uganda’s efforts to bridge the gap between law and rapidly evolving technology.
On the topic of data and AI localization, Lumala emphasized the importance of global recognition: “We can only leverage full benefits if our skills are recognised in the international arena because we are not an island as a country.”
Mr. Mark Gachara of FAIR Forward, GIZ, cautioned against excessive localization of data and AI. “The more you localise, the more you lock in yourself, the more you’re not open to global opportunities, the more it penalises the innovations and innovators. It’s a very slippery area,” Gachara warned. He stressed the importance of data in achieving development goals: “If we need to achieve agenda 2063 and track the progress on SDGs, data is a critical element for our respective countries in the region and across the continent to be able to track progress.” Gachara highlighted data governance, data infrastructure, and data privacy as key issues requiring appropriate implementation.
Mr. Claude K. Migisha, Digital Development Expert and Research Fellow at Research ICT Africa, provided additional insights on the pan-African perspective of AI’s potential for regional integration and economic transformation.
The session underscored the complex challenges facing East African nations in harnessing AI for development, from data monetization and privacy concerns to infrastructure limitations and the need for skilled personnel. Despite these obstacles, the panelists expressed a shared commitment to leveraging AI for sustainable development while safeguarding national interests and ethical considerations.
As the forum continues, it is clear that East African leaders are grappling with the multifaceted implications of AI adoption, striving to balance innovation, ethical use, and regional cooperation in their pursuit of AI-driven development.
