Cape Town - Africa will have its own roadmap for the development of artificial intelligence. At the G20 technology summit in South Africa on Friday, Unesco unveiled a plan to transform governance, justice and education across the continent.
The initiative envisages the training of 20,000 key professionals, including civil servants, magistrates and prosecutors, to equip them with the tools to face digital challenges. This massive effort aims to strengthen institutions and ensure that AI is used ethically and in public service.
The project also focuses on the younger generations. With the Youth Coding Initiative, the organisation plans to train teachers, students and educational leaders in 15 countries, with the aim of integrating programming and technological innovation into African classrooms.
In parallel, Unesco will activate a pan-African artificial intelligence incubator to support more than a thousand local researchers. The aim is to generate its own projects that respond to the continent's needs, avoiding dependence on external models.
Another novelty will be the creation of a government assistance platform that will provide guidance, comparative experiences and practical solutions for African countries to design national AI policies tailored to their contexts.
“Artificial intelligence should not just be an import. Africa has the capacity to create its own path, with local talent and strong institutional frameworks,” stressed Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of Unesco, at the opening session.
Source: unesco.org; ifacca.org