By Woubishet Sisay – The seventh edition of the Africa Business Forum is held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday at UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) conference center.
The Forum was co-convened by ECA, Google Africa and the African Union Commission. The event focuses on ways to leverage science, technology and innovation in Africa with a view to enhancing the quality of education, mitigating the negative impact of climate change, strengthening productive capacity, creating jobs through the establishment of globally-competitive industrial firms and promoting a more inclusive and prosperous Africa, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, of the African Union.
The 2024 edition of the Forum as a general objective is intended to help build a positive momentum for partnerships with private sector to accelerate investment in education, science, technology, and innovation, as a means to boosting the continent’s transformation.
The opening remarks were made by Mr. Claver Gatete, the Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa and UN under Secretary General and her Excellency Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission. Mr. Gatete after welcoming heads of states and distinguished guests, mentioned the importance of science, technology, and innovation for the economic transformation of Africa and the need for a multi-stakeholder approach including how leadership is important to bring about change in terms of education, science, technology, and innovation, as a means to boosting the continent’s transformation.
Mr. Doron Avni, Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Emerging Markets, Google reaffirmed the role and their commitment to education, science, technology and innovation to drive Africa’s transformation by sharing their views on the existing untapped opportunities that must be harnessed. Also stressed on the important role that private sector plays in this ambition.
Mr. Doron in his speech mentioned the potential of innovation in Africa with in the rapidly growing population. He stated that how artificial intelligence AI fundamentally change the we perceive the world, how we deal with global challenges and how we promote economic growth, mentioning as an example google search, AI navigator and google translator for over 133 languages including many African languages in an effort to filling communication gaps. He also said that google has launched its research center in Ghana and expanded to Kenya in an effort in building AI for Africa.
According to Mr. Doron, “a good example of google AI’s work in its research is that the flood detection system which is now available across 20 African counties to forecast floods and alerting people 7 days before the flood reaches”. He also said that “since 2017 google has trained over six million people in Africa across 25 countries in curtail AI skills in collaboration with African union”. At end of the session, signing ceremony of a partnership was made between Google and ECA.