By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Côte d’Ivoire has called for
a coordinated African approach to artificial intelligence development, urging
countries across the continent to work together to build AI systems that
reflect African realities, priorities and opportunities.
Speaking at the United
Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of
Communication and Government Spokesperson, Mr. Djibril Ouattara, emphasized the
need for “an African AI, by Africans, for Africans” as the continent engages in
shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
The Minister warned against
repeating challenges experienced in the telecommunications sector, where
fragmented regulatory approaches slowed market development. He stressed that
African countries must coordinate early in the AI era to establish effective
governance frameworks and maximize the benefits of emerging technologies.
Côte d’Ivoire highlighted
the importance of leveraging existing regional institutions and cooperation
frameworks, including Economic Community of West African States, West African
Economic and Monetary Union, OHADA and CAMES, as foundations for building a
shared AI ecosystem suited to Africa’s cultural, linguistic and social
contexts.
The Minister called for
stronger regional collaboration through shared infrastructure, increased
investment, inclusive skills development and harmonized legal frameworks to
ensure African countries can actively participate in AI innovation and
governance.
Among the proposals
presented was the creation of a Regional African School of Artificial
Intelligence to support capacity building and develop the continent’s AI talent
pipeline.
Côte d’Ivoire said
collective action will be essential to ensure artificial intelligence delivers
practical benefits for African citizens, particularly in critical sectors such
as healthcare, education, food security and financial services.
