Programme Director,
Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers,
Representatives of the African Union,
UNESCO,
ITU and our knowledge and development partners,
Colleagues, Friends, and Fellow Builders of the Digital Future,
Good afternoon.
It is a profound honour to welcome you to the Republic of South Africa as we launch the AI for Africa Initiative.
This is a defining moment - not only for South Africa, but for the continent and our partners across the globe.
As you know, South Africa holds the Presidency of the G20 in 2025 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”
These are not abstract ideals.
They are the guiding principles of our Presidency and they are the foundation upon which the AI for Africa Initiative is built.
The vision of this Initiative is clear:
- To harness Artificial Intelligence as a force for inclusive and equitable development, bridging Africa’s digital divides.
- To ensure that AI is shaped by African voices, cultures, and languages, preserving our rich diversity in the digital era.
- To advance responsible and trustworthy governance of AI, rooted in rights, transparency, and accountability.
- To strengthen Africa’s capacity and talent pipelines, so that our young people - the majority of our population - are not just users of AI, but its innovators and architects.
- And to position Africa as an active shaper of global AI governance, not merely a consumer of imported technologies.
This Initiative is Africa’s response to both the promise and the peril of AI.
Too often, the Global South has been left behind or treated as a site of extraction - of data, of labour, of raw materials - without being allowed to share fairly in the value created.
The AI for Africa Initiative is here to change that.
As the continent articulated at the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025 “we are not in a race against anyone. Instead, we are redefining the finishing line, on our own terms.”
Through AI for Africa, we seek to connect the 54 nations of our continent in building shared capabilities, while also linking them to global partnerships, investments, and knowledge exchanges.
Colleagues, our vision is ambitious, but it is necessary.
We are determined that Africa will not be left behind in the AI era.
Instead, we will lead with innovation that is ethical, inclusive, and sustainable - an innovation that reflects the principles of solidarity among nations, equality of opportunity, and sustainability for future generations.
I want to thank everyone who has made this possible.
A special thank you to UNESCO and all the knowledge partners who organized this event.
I’m grateful to everyone who has honoured this invitation.
I welcome you all into this collaborative journey.
Bring your abilities, your resources, your ideas and your ingenuity.
Bring your hopes, your energy, your dedication and your connections.
Africa is calling. Let us shape together an AI future that works for Africa and the world.
I thank you.
Download Document here: Welcome Address at the Launch of the AI for Africa Initiative by Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele