The inaugural AI summit on Africa is set to kick off from the 3rd of April to be held in Rwanda’s capital Kigali. AI is deemed key in driving growth of economies with the summit expected to attract new investments. Yves Iradukunda, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Innovation and ICT, Rwanda spoke to CNBC Africa for more.
Rwanda is set to host the inaugural AI forum expected to draw in over 1,000 participants to attend. Rwanda has been ramping up investments in the ICT space and the forum is tipped to be a game changer for Africa. This week, the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, in partnership with the Centre for 4th Industrial Revolution, will be hosting the inaugural global AI summit on Africa. It's the first time we host such a conference because of the benefits and investment in AI on the continent, where AI will be key in the growth of the economy on the continent, but this will require the right policies, require having the right talent, but also infrastructure. So the summit is an important convening because we want to make sure that as a continent, we have frameworks that enable joint investments into AI capabilities and we are leveraging on a young talent on the continent. This is something Rwanda shares with other countries on the continent, where we have talent, young people that are learning different technology skills, digital skills that can enable adopting AI solutions. So it's very important that we will have heads of state, we'll have policy makers, academia, innovators and inventors that are involved in research that can help advance AI. So it's a very important summit. We expect about a thousand people from all over the world. And today, from April 3rd and April 4th, to discuss in different plenaries and sessions that will unpack and help reimagine how AI is going to help advance the continent. Particularly for Rwanda, we've been investing in technology for the last 20-25 years. And the emphasis has been on building and enabling infrastructure, digitizing the different key services for the citizens, but most importantly, building a talent pool of people that can not only utilize technology, but also use technology to innovate different solutions and tools across different sectors. We have priority sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and finance. And we've already seen progress when it comes to adopting emerging technologies across the board, but most importantly now, leveraging AI to integrate different tools in how we provide services. So for Rwanda, we expect the summit will be an opportunity to attract more investment, going to infrastructure, talent development, but also testing different use cases in healthcare, agriculture in particular. We are already discussing with different key partners, global partners, that have innovations around AI which we can test and scale in the country. We have training programs that will help develop talent and skills that are needed in Rwanda. So when you look at institutions like Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Rwanda, the Rwanda Coding Academy, AOKA, Kaplan and others that have been retraining young talent, it is an exact opportunity for them to start looking at how can we do more, leveraging the infrastructure investment that has already been done, but also a regulatory and investment environment that enables these innovations to take place.
Theme: Driving Economic Growth Through AI Innovation in Africa
Rwanda, known for its burgeoning investments in the ICT sector, is set to host the inaugural global AI summit in Africa. The event, expected to attract over 1,000 participants, will be a game-changer for the continent. The Ministry of ICT and Innovation, in collaboration with the Centre for 4th Industrial Revolution, will be spearheading the summit, which aims to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in driving economic growth across Africa. Yves Iradukunda, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Innovation and ICT in Rwanda, highlighted the significance of the summit in fostering the development of AI capabilities on the continent. Iradukunda emphasized the need for the right policies, talent, and infrastructure to fully leverage the benefits of AI in propelling economic advancement. The forum will serve as a platform for policymakers, academia, innovators, and inventors to collaborate and advance the AI agenda in Africa. Rwanda stands out as a beacon of technological progress in the region, with a strong focus on building a skilled workforce and digitizing key services for its citizens. The country has invested in developing talent across various sectors, such as healthcare, agriculture, and finance, and is now looking to integrate AI solutions into these domains. The summit presents an opportunity for Rwanda to showcase its advancements and attract further investment in infrastructure and talent development. Iradukunda also mentioned ongoing discussions with global partners to test and scale AI innovations in Rwanda, particularly in sectors like healthcare and agriculture. Collaborations with institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Rwanda aim to enhance the skills of the local workforce and drive innovation in emerging technologies. The regulatory and investment environment in Rwanda is conducive to fostering innovation, paving the way for the successful implementation of AI solutions. The global AI summit in Rwanda will feature discussions, plenaries, and sessions aimed at reimagining the role of AI in advancing the continent. With an array of stakeholders, including heads of state, policymakers, and researchers, the event seeks to lay the groundwork for joint investments in AI capabilities and harness the potential of young talent across Africa. The summit is poised to spark new partnerships, drive innovation, and shape the future of AI in Africa, positioning Rwanda at the forefront of technological advancement on the continent.
"The summit is an important convening because we want to make sure that as a continent, we have frameworks that enable joint investments into AI capabilities and we are leveraging on a young talent on the continent."
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