Participants at a two-day High-Level Forum held at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic, University of Morocco in Rabat have adopted the “African Consensus on Artificial Intelligence: A Call to Action.” It also concluded with the establishment of the AI Movement as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, and the signing of a tripartite agreement between UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – the Government of Morocco and the AI Movement.
The Forum, held under the theme “AI as a Lever for Development in Africa,” from June 3 to June 5, 2024, brought together judges, parliamentarians, government officials, representatives of private sector and civil society, as well as artists across Africa to discuss strategies, policies, opportunities and risks related to AI in the African context. Experts at the Forum shared best practices and state-of-the-art AI developments in Africa and networked with their peers.
The establishment of the AI movement as a Category 2 Centre under UNESCO marks a significant milestone in Africa’s journey towards leveraging AI for inclusive development and sustainable growth. While the agreement formalized the AI Movement as a Category 2 Centre under UNESCO, solidified the collaborative role of these three entities in advancing AI education, research, and policy across Africa.
In showing UNESCO’s commitment to supporting African countries in harnessing the potential of AI and managing the risk posed by it, Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information during the forum said that “UNESCO is making every effort as a multilateral organization, with a multi-stakeholder approach, to help African states appropriate the potential of AI while effectively managing the associated risks.”
Prof. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Executive President of AI Movement – UM6P, emphasized that “Africa has many assets, starting with its demographics, to exploit the potential of emerging technologies, including AI, to make the long-awaited quantum and macro-economic frog leap.”
The African Consensus on Artificial Intelligence adopted at the Forum outlines three foundational principles: establishing a global and inclusive AI governance framework; leveraging AI for public sector innovation and the common good of Africans; and ensuring ethical and human rights-based AI development.
In the coming years, UNESCO and the AI Movement plan to enhance the capacity of African civil servants in AI and digital transformation. Their joint initiative aims to train 5,000 individuals over the next three years, and foster innovation and digital literacy across the continent.
