UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
28/06/2024 | News release | Archived content
UNESCO and the Government of Kenya organised the Eastern Africa sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI)
The Eastern African Sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI) highlighted the potential of AI for African countries. Building on UNESCO's first AI Forum in 2018 in Morocco, it aimed to integrate AI into national African strategies. The EARFAI continued the work of the 2022 Southern African AI Forum in Namibia, which emphasized multi-stakeholder cooperation and ethics. Also inspired by the 2024 Global Forum on AI Ethics in Slovenia, EARFAI promoted the exchange of knowledge among various stakeholders. The EARFAI also advances UNESCO's Flagship Programme 4 for Priority Africa to harness new and emerging technologies for sustainable development in Africa.
The Forum welcomed ministers and government representatives from the sub-region, international AI experts and panellists, high-level personalities, partners from various sectors and stakeholders from academia, industry and civil society. In total, around 500 participants, in person and online, took part in the Forum.
EARFAI will tackle the concrete issues at the top of leader's agendas - how to use AI to leverage the SDGs, how to preserve local cultures and histories, how to solve the workforce shortage and skills gaps, and how to make the tech ecosystem more inclusive. This conference attests to the fact that Africa is active and engaged in the reflection of how to develop and use AI. We want to leverage these experiences to the global level.
Gabriela Ramos Assistant Director-General, Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
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 were discussed during the panel sessions. The panelists expressed a shared commitment to leveraging AI for sustainable development while safeguarding national interests and ethical considerations.
"We are now in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In the previous revolutions, we were not active participants, and our current level of development reflects that. Direct technological transfer raises the question of its impact on Africa, where inequity and inequality remain our greatest challenges. Unless we take concrete measures in AI, understand its implications, and make deliberate and decisive actions, we risk falling behind once again, just as we did in the first three industrial revolutions."
H.E (Dr) Ezekiel Machogu, EGH, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, Kenya
During her closing remarks, UNESCO Assistant Director General for Social and Human Science, Gabriela Ramos, highlighted UNESCO's commitment to work together for Africa and with Africa.
"We recommend this statement to advance AI and emerging technologies governance, foster cooperation and exchange of expertise through a multi-sectoral approach, and strengthen collaboration between East African countries and UNESCO. This includes establishing an East African coordination mechanism to support the implementation of the UNESCO recommendation on the ethics of AI and the recommendations from the RAMS."
Amb.(Prof) Peter K. Ngure, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kenya to UNESCO
Following the last session, UNESCO's Regional Office for Eastern Africa Director a.i. Alexandros Makarigakis and Head of Social and Human Sciences of the regional office Hugue Ngatta Ngandeu presented the Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Report for Kenya to Ms. Ramos and the participants. Kenya is the first East African country in Eastern Africa to hand over this important document. The report provides concrete status of AI readiness of Kenya with recommendations for responsible and ethical AI development, adoption and use.