The United States Department of State, in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is set to host the “Global Inclusivity and AI: Africa” conference in Lagos on September 10-11.
This landmark event will bring together over 200 stakeholders, including senior officials from the United States and Africa, private sector leaders, civil society members, and academia.
The conference aims to delve into the myriad opportunities and challenges that come with the responsible development, deployment, and use of AI.
Participants will work towards identifying and harmonizing AI governance strategies between the United States and African nations, ensuring that AI deployments across Africa are safe, secure, transparent, and trustworthy.
This event builds on the momentum of the U.S. Secretary of State’s earlier visits to Nigeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, and Angola, as well as the landmark adoption and co-sponsorship by 18 sub-Saharan African countries of the United Nations’ resolution on “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development” in March.
The initiative also expands on the discussions held during Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell’s visit to Abuja for the sixth U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) with Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar.
A key component of the conference will be advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s Digital Transformation with Africa initiative. This initiative seeks to enhance digital access and literacy while reinforcing the digital business environment across the continent.
Leading the U.S. delegation will be Dr. Seth Center, Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, and Joy Basu, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.
The event will also feature recorded remarks from Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, underscoring the high-level commitment to fostering a collaborative AI future in Africa.
