Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence: What Role for Africa?

Africa Data Protection « On the Road to the 2025 AI Action Summit »

Africa Data Protection will hold the Africa Data Protection Awards ceremony and a roundtable discussion on the theme « Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence: What Role for Africa? » on January 27, 2025. This event has been officially labelled « On the Road to the Summit » as part of the 2025 AI Action Summit, led by the French Presidency (Élysée), which will take place on February 10-11, 2025.

The ceremony
The Africa Data Protection Awards ceremony is a prestigious event aimed at celebrating and recognizing exceptional and innovative contributions in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and personal data protection in Africa. Candidates are invited to submit a research summary (maximum one page) by January 13, 2025. During the evening, the winners will be announced and honored.

AI: A Critical Issue for Africa
In light of the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the question of its global governance has become increasingly urgent. This presents crucial challenges for Africa, at the intersection of technological inclusion, digital sovereignty, and sustainable development. While regulatory frameworks are primarily being defined in the Global North, debates around regulation, ethics, and economic opportunities are largely dominated by the world's leading economic powers.

In this context, it is essential for Africa to assert a strong and recognized voice to avoid exacerbating digital inequalities, algorithmic biases, and technological dependency. At the same time, the immense potential of AI for the continent—in fields such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and natural resource management—represents a significant opportunity for sustainable development.

The challenge, therefore, is to ensure equitable governance, where Africa actively contributes to defining ethical, legal, and economic frameworks, while ensuring its priorities are integrated into global discussions.

Objectives of the Roundtable
The initiative aims to bring together high-level experts—AI specialists, AI applications in healthcare, and former data protection authority members—to discuss Africa's involvement in this strategic field. The roundtable will:
- Identify Africa's specific challenges within the global AI ecosystem.
- Explore African AI initiatives and their international impact.
- Debate mechanisms for cooperation between Africa and other regions for fair and inclusive governance.
- Formulate recommendations to strengthen African participation in defining international AI rules, norms, and standards.
- Highlight initiatives in data protection and AI-driven innovation across Africa.

Schedule
This event will take place in two parts:
1/ Panel discussion on the theme: "Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence: What Place for Africa?".
2/ "Africa Data Protection Awards" ceremony
A speech by the President of the Africa Data Protection Association will be followed by the announcement of the winners.
The AI Action Summit
The event will take place alongside the AI Action Summit, scheduled for February 10-11, 2025, at the Grand Palais in Paris. During this summit, France will host heads of state and government, international organization leaders, small and large business executives, academics, researchers, NGOs, artists, and other members of civil society. A wide range of countries and sectors will be represented to ensure the summit is as inclusive as possible.