Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, presided over the closing session of the second Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance. Held in Egypt from 19 to 21 November, the event convened members of the African Union (AU) AI Working Group, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and leading AI experts from Africa, alongside prominent research institutions and universities in Europe. This dialogue aimed to advance efforts toward implementing the African Union’s continental AI strategy.
This initiative aligns with the African Union’s operational mechanisms and underscores Egypt’s leadership as chair of the AU AI Working Group.
In his speech, Talaat emphasized that this meeting culminated efforts initiated in 2019, when Egypt called upon African nations through the AU to form a working group to draft an AI strategy for the continent. Since then, Egypt has led a coalition of approximately 20 African countries in crafting a strategy focused on the safe use of AI, prioritizing ethical considerations and data neutrality. The dialogue also involved key international institutions such as the OECD and AI leaders, including representatives from the United Kingdom and the United States.
Talaat noted that this second dialogue brought together representatives from over 20 African and non-African nations and international organizations. Discussions focused on mechanisms for implementing the African AI Strategy, foundational principles for an African AI Charter, and a roadmap for achieving the strategy’s objectives. He commended African countries for their contributions, highlighting Egypt’s regional leadership in the ICT sector through its chairmanship of the working group. These efforts reflected the perspectives of African nations on AI-related issues.
Ambassador Amr Goweily, Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs and International Security, stressed the importance of AI’s inclusion in the Global Digital Compact, with Egypt and other African countries playing active roles in its formulation. Egypt remains committed to global mechanisms to ensure the safe and beneficial use of this transformative technology.
Angela Cassell Bush, Commissioner of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, underscored African nations’ commitment to leveraging AI for development, particularly by raising awareness and empowering youth.
Lucia Russo, an economic expert and policy analyst representing the OECD, commended the collaboration between the OECD and Egypt’s Ministry of Communications. She acknowledged Egypt’s progress under its national AI strategy, including capacity building and regional leadership in shaping Africa’s AI strategy. The dialogue’s in-depth discussions highlighted Africa’s readiness to capitalize on the strategy’s opportunities.
Representatives from the UK and the US reiterated their support for regional discussions on the African AI strategy. The US representative also referenced a related initiative announced during the UN General Assembly in September 2024.
The session featured notable contributions from Hoda Baraka, Advisor to the Minister for Technology Skills Development; Khaled Taha, Advisor for International Relations; Dr. Abir Shakweer, Assistant Resident Representative at the UN Development Programme in Egypt; and representatives from the UK, Italian, and US embassies.
This second dialogue builds on the success of the first session held in Paris in March 2024, which provided critical support for African countries in drafting the continental AI strategy.
During the sessions, the OECD presented best practices for implementing the African AI Strategy, adopted at the AU mid-year summit in July 2024. Discussions covered fostering international and regional cooperation, identifying actionable steps, and securing resources for implementation. Sessions also explored global expertise in integrating AI into priority sectors for Africa, such as government services, healthcare, education, and agriculture, as well as developing an African AI ethics charter.