Rwanda to host AI4EAC STI Conference on responsible artificial intelligence in Kigali

Plans are underway for the upcoming AI4EAC Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Conference, which will be held in Kigali with a focus on advancing the responsible use of artificial intelligence across East Africa.

The conference was discussed during a meeting between Muyambi Fortunate, Deputy Executive Secretary of the East African Science and Technology Commission, and Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire.

Scheduled to take place at the Kigali Convention Centre, the conference will be held under the theme “Harnessing Responsible Artificial Intelligence for the East Africa We Envision.” It is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, innovators, and industry leaders from across the region. Read more

African Union Holds Continental Consultation on CAADP Kampala Result Framework and Biennial Review (BR)

The Continental Consultation on CAADP Kampala Result Framework and Biennial Review (BR) Indicators successfully concluded in Windhoek, Namibia, held from 24-27 March 2026. The Four-day consultation workshop brought together African Union Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and technical experts, to consider and review a harmonized framework for tracking progress on the Compressive Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035). Read more

ECA boss urges Africa to embrace innovation shift.

Africa’s growth over two decades has been real but not transformative, driven more by labour, capital, and commodities than productivity and innovation, said Claver Gatete, the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

Mr Gatete said this following the 58th session of the ECA and the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development meetings, which began on Saturday in Tangier, Morocco.

In a statement by ECA’s communications section, Mr Gatete said too little labour had moved from subsistence agriculture into higher-productivity sectors. Read more

How data governance will define Africa’s AI future

Gemini said

Digital public infrastructure is expanding across Africa, connectivity improving and governments and businesses are increasingly exploring how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can support economic growth and public services.

The defining question is not only whether Africa participates in the AI economy, but if value created from African data, talent and deployment is captured within the continent’s economies.

At the centre of this challenge lies data because AI systems rely on data to learn, adapt and generate value. Read more

Bridging Africa’s youth aspirational gap: unlocking high-growth entrepreneurship

Africa’s youth are brimming with entrepreneurial ambition. Yet, despite an estimated 75% aspiring to start businesses, most face significant barriers that prevent them from turning ideas into thriving enterprises. Limited access to finance, weak support systems, and restrictive regulatory environments force many into “survival” businesses, ventures born of necessity rather than opportunity. These businesses rarely scale, generate few jobs, and contribute minimally to long-term economic transformation. Lastly, and as a long-term consequence: it might generate precarious and informal jobs. Read more

Education priorities to help young people shape Africa’s future

Young people today are navigating a world that is changing fast. From advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology to the impacts of climate change and global politics, they’re preparing not just to face uncertainty – but to shape what comes next.

How effectively they do this will depend in part on their education, which has a crucial role in equipping students with the skills, knowledge and behaviours to thrive in the future, writes Juan Visser, regional director: sub-Saharan Africa, International Education at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Read more

Africa Urged To ‘Mainstream’ Homegrown Climate Adaptation

Mainstreaming locally-led adaptation interventions is vital to building resilience against escalating climate risks, which are threatening livelihoods, ecosystems and development in Africa, according to new analysis.

However, adaptation efforts on the continent remain fragmented, unevenly financed, and dominated by external  priorities, finds the study, published by Global Health Strategies in partnership with the African Union (AU) Commission’s  Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate. Read More

Harnessing data and frontier technologies for Africa’s economic transformation: forthcoming economic report calls for innovation-driven growth to accelerate structural transformation

9 March, 2026

Addis Ababa, 9 March 2026 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will soon release its flagship Economic Report on Africa 2026 (ERA 2026) titled “Growth through Innovation: Harnessing Data and Frontier Technologies for Africa’s Economic Transformation.” The report underscores that while Africa has achieved steady economic growth in recent years, much of this progress has been driven by factor accumulation, capital and labour, rather than sustained productivity gains. As a result, the continent’s structural transformation has been slow, with limited reallocation of labour and investment into higher-productivity sectors such as manufacturing and modern services. Read more

Africa Commits to the Next Decade of School Feeding: Nutritious Meals, Clean Water, and Local Prosperity

The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Botswana and development partners, commemorated the 11th Anniversary of the African Day of School Feeding (ADSF) in Gaborone, Botswana, under the theme “Ensuring Access to Nutritious Meals, Clean Water, and Hygiene: Promoting Safety and Resilience in Every School Meal Investment.” The event served as a key milestone in evaluating the progress made over the past decade in implementing school feeding programs across the continent and reaffirming commitments to sustaining and scaling up these initiatives. Read more

Marlborough House Dialogues: Reclaiming Africa’s democratic future with Sir Mo Ibrahim

Leaders, visionaries, and youth leaders gathered for a Marlborough House Dialogue on 23 February 2026 to engage with Sir Dr Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, on the future of Africa.

Bringing together two generations united by a shared purpose, this edition of the Marlborough House Dialogues explored a future where good governance, accountability, and youth leadership become the foundation of Africa’s renewal.

Sir Dr Mo Ibrahim is renowned for being one of Africa’s most influential voices on good governance, ethical leadership, and data-driven policy. He has long argued that healthy democracies cannot exist without active, informed citizens. Read More