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UNESCO launches AI Needs Assessment Survey in Africa
UNESCO launches AI Needs Assessment Survey in Africa
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in early March announced the launch of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Needs Assessment Survey in Africa, adding that it had organised a dialogue with African countries to reflect on the findings and the survey’s recommendations.
UNESCO pointed out in statement on its website that its operational strategy for Priority Africa recognises the importance of knowledge for the sustainable socio-economic development of Africa and of capacity building in the field of ICT.
Artificial Intelligence, UNESCO said, presents a leapfrog potential for development in Africa, notwithstanding that these technologies are currently developed for and by companies, universities and governments outside of the continent. Countries can use AI and other digital technologies to catalyse their innovation ecosystems and accelerate sustainable development.
UNESCO Deputy Director-General and Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information a.i Xing Qu underlined the organisation’s ongoing efforts to support African countries to harness AI for their national development priorities. Stressing the significance of the publication, he noted, “Its findings will help guide our discussions today on how Artificial Intelligence can be mobilised for the social good”.
UNESCO said the survey highlights the need to strengthen policy, legal and regulatory knowledge for AI governance in Africa. Namibian ambassador to UNESCO Albertus Aochamub pointed out that the survey had captured the gaps in policy formulation across different domains like data protection, education and skills for AI among others. “At this day there is no policy that governs AI in Namibia other than the 2007 Telecommunication Act,” added Aochamub.
With only 51% of Namibia’s population having internet access, he described universal access to infrastructure as a challenge that needs urgent attention.
The survey notes that as AI policies are developed across Africa, countries will benefit from greater coordination and expertise to address similar and shared challenges. UNSESCO said Firmin Edouard Matoko, Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations, who moderated discussions, noted how UNSESCO facilitates knowledge exchange among policymakers and other stakeholders in Africa through the organisation of several regional fora on Artificial Intelligence.
UNESCO said more than half the countries that responded to the survey identified gender equality related concerns with the use of AI as a priority.
UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos pointed out gender equality is not only a question of women’s access to technology but also that of women as actors who shape technologies. “There is a need to have more women from Africa in shaping AI development as it is unacceptable that maleonly teams make 80% of the development in software linked to AI,” said Ramos.
Egyptian ambassador to UNESCO Alaaeldin Zakaria Youssef drew attention to how AI represents a significant economic advantage that can create new market opportunities. “AI offers the potential for a radical transformation of economic and social systems worldwide. But it also poses challenges. There is a need to follow up on the findings through international dialogue around new labour market paradigms, future of work and economic model redesign,” added Youssef.
UNSESCO said the survey findings will play an essential role in facilitating regional co-operation by acting as a starting point for countries to work together on shared priorities. Sally Radwan, representing the African Union Working Group on AI, shared the three objectives of the working group. These consist of creating a common African stance on AI-related issues, identifying and implementing AI projects of mutual interest and establishing a framework for AI capacity building in Africa. She mentioned that the African Union’s Working Group on AI will discuss the survey findings at its next meeting.
