By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The GSMA has reaffirmed its
commitment to working with governments, policymakers and industry stakeholders
to advance meaningful connectivity, digital inclusion and artificial
intelligence (AI) across Africa following last week's Abuja Ministerial Declaration.
John Giusti, Chief
Regulatory Officer at GSMA and President of the Mobile for Development
Foundation, said the declaration demonstrated that African governments share a
common vision for expanding meaningful connectivity across the continent.
He noted that the recent
launch of ATLAS Umoja AI builds on the momentum created by the declaration by
bringing together a broad coalition of partners to develop AI systems that
reflect Africa's languages, cultures and development priorities.
According to Giusti,
connectivity, digital inclusion and AI are closely interconnected, with
sustained progress depending on strong partnerships and policy frameworks that
enable innovation to deliver tangible economic and social benefits.
He emphasized that
collaboration between governments, regulators, industry players and development
partners will be essential to ensuring AI technologies are developed and
deployed in ways that address Africa's unique needs while supporting inclusive
digital transformation.
Giusti said the GSMA remains
committed to supporting governments and the wider digital ecosystem in creating
the enabling environment needed to expand connectivity, promote innovation and
ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in Africa's digital
future.
