The Africa Declaration on AI: Paving the way for Africa’s future
The Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, adopted in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 4, 2025, outlines Africa’s unified vision for ethical, inclusive, and sustainable AI development.
On 4 April 2025, delegates at the Global AI Summit on Africa signed the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence in Kigali, Rwanda. This declaration sets the stage for a unified vision of ethical, inclusive, and sustainable AI development across the continent.
The declaration emphasises the need for a framework for open datasets and AI models. Its goal is to enhance data collection, digitization, and interoperability across sectors like health, education, agriculture, and climate resilience. It also calls for robust data governance systems in line with the AU Data Policy Framework and national laws.
Key guiding principles of the declaration include sovereignty, inclusivity, diversity in AI design, and the protection of privacy and human rights. The declaration stresses the importance of ethics, transparency, and collaboration between public and private sectors globally.
The declaration outlines several key objectives:
- Drive innovation and economic growth through AI.
- Position Africa as a leader in ethical AI adoption.
- Ensure responsible AI governance and deployment.
Several commitments have been made:
- Expand AI education, research, and literacy programs to develop talent.
- Create open datasets and strong data protection frameworks for better governance.
- Deploy high-performance computing and regional data centers.
- Establish AI hubs and prioritise African-led innovation.
- Launch a $60 billion Africa AI Fund to support infrastructure and startups.
- Harmonize policies and establish an Africa AI Council for oversight.
Institutional cooperation is vital to the declaration’s success. It aims to strengthen partnerships among governments, private sectors, and academia across the continent. The African Union, Smart Africa, and over 50 African nations have signed the declaration.
The Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence aligns with Agenda 2063 and the UN sustainable development goals. Its vision is to harness AI for equitable and transformative growth across Africa.
