The African Union Commission, in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia and the Institute for Security Studies, convened a High-Level Policy Dialogue on the Development and Regulation of AI in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The dialogue brought together participants from over 40 African countries, including Heads of State and Government, Ministers, AU Commissioners, diplomats, civil society, academia, and private sector leaders.
As part of the ‘AI for Africa’, a featured high-level event of the Ethio Tech Expo ETEX 2025, and anchored in the theme “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Africa’s Prosperity and Collaboration,” the event explored the potential of AI to transform Africa’s development trajectory and accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event builds on the AU Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy adopted by the African Union Executive Council in July 2024. Laying the ground for Africa’s leadership on AI use and development, leaders called for urgent interventions and collaboration. The Dialogue underscored the importance of fostering inclusive, ethical, and sustainable AI ecosystems where African nations can access, shape, and benefit equitably from AI-driven opportunities.
“AI is no longer a distant dream—it is the engine of transformation across sectors, geographies, and societies,” expressed H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. “We made a deliberate choice not to remain passive consumers of imported innovation, but to become active contributors, leveraging AI to address challenges grounded in our own realities.”
In her opening address, H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission highlighted African Union’s AI ambitions. “Our vision is Harnessing AI for Africa’s Development and Prosperity with focus on making AI available for socio-economic development, fostering homegrown and domestic AI capacity, advancing a multisectoral and multistakeholder AI governance approach and promoting innovative regulations that can enable AI uptake in Africa and protect its people.”
With the continent’s AI compute capacity accounting for just 1% globally, she urged investment in renewable-powered data centers, regional compute hubs, and cross-border digital infrastructure to enable local AI model development. She emphasized that data ownership and cultural identity are key: Africa possesses vast datasets and linguistic diversity which, if leveraged ethically, can drive inclusive, culturally relevant AI systems that preserve Africa’s heritage while meeting modern needs.
On a high-profile panel titled “Collaborative Strategies for AI Adoption in Africa,” that followed the official opening of the event, H.E. Lerato D. Mataboge, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, offered a nuanced and pragmatic roadmap for scaling AI adoption across the continent by outlining existing challenges she identified as critical: digital infrastructure, the AI skills gap, absence of high-quality datasets, and the funding gap.
She acknowledged the growing presence of African startups using AI for public service delivery, particularly in agriculture, healthcare, education, and language services, but pointed out that innovation remains highly concentrated in just a few countries. “Over 83% of AI startup funding in Q1 2025 went to Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. AI should help narrow the digital divide, not widen it,” the Commissioner underscored.
“The next generation of AI architects must be African, educated in Africa, and working to solve African problems,” Mataboge warned, highlighting that Africa currently houses only 3% of the global AI talent pool.
The other High-level panelists featured included H.E. Dr. Gedion Timotheos, Minister of Ethiopian Foreign Affairs; AUC; and Dr. Fonteh Akum, Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), who reiterated that Africa, as the youngest continent, must innovate, create, and utilize AI to its advantage and must lead in the AI revolution. Africa’s ability to harness AI hinges on building foundational infrastructure, nurturing local talent, and developing smart, agile regulations that protect citizens while enabling innovation. Conversations around AI should go hand in hand with action, not one after the other.
In addition to the main plenary, the Dialogue featured two focused panel discussions that brought global and regional perspectives to the forefront. The first, titled “AI for Africa: Lessons from Around the World,” included speakers from the UK, UAE, China, and Brazil, and was moderated by Dr. Fonteh Akum. The second, “Imperative for AI Development, Governance Approaches and the Need for Cooperation to Narrow the Gap,” featured experts from Senegal, Meta, and Addis Ababa University, moderated by Ms. Souhila Amazouz of the AUC. The engaging panels provided rich insights into international best practices, governance models, and cross-continental cooperation in AI.
The Communique released at the conclusion of the event declared Artificial Intelligence as a strategic priority for the continent and committed to collaboratively develop the necessary digital infrastructure, high-quality datasets, compute capabilities, skills, and research capacity to underpin ethical and responsible AI development for sustainable development and to reduce associated risks to society.
To continue the momentum, the next edition of the Dialogue will take place during the AU Summit in February 2026 in Addis Ababa.
Addis Ababa- Ethiopia: The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a critical initiative aimed at unlocking sustainable growth and integration across the continent through infrastructure development, has continued to play a crucial role in shaping policies and guiding strategic development.
In a significant move towards furthering the implementation of PIDA projects, stakeholders from across Africa gathered in Addis Ababa for a workshop held from 25-27 March 2025. The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to accelerate the implementation of strategic infrastructure projects, attract investment, and build synergy and collaboration between the diverse sectors involved.
The workshop was an important platform to review the progress and impact of the PIDA Implementation Support Project (PISP), a USD 7 million initiative funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The PISP is playing an essential role in advancing the PIDA’s second phase (2021-2030) of PIDA (PIDA PAP II), through technical capacity building.
The PISP has been supporting the implementation of PIDA PAP II projects by strengthening technical capacity at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the African Union Commission (AUC).
Officially opening the workshop, African Union Director of Infrastructure and Energy Dr. Kamugisha Kazaura emphasized the importance of collaboration and expertise in driving forward the PIDA agenda. “This workshop presents an opportunity to harness our collective expertise, foster collaboration, and accelerate the implementation of PIDA PAP II projects as we approach the midterm review of PIDA PAP II”. He further highlighted, “Now is the time to engage fully, leverage the available expertise, and accelerate the preparation and implementation of PIDA PAP II.”
Commitment to Accelerating Implementation in the Lead-Up to PIDA Midterm Review
PIDA PAP II is a portfolio of 69 projects, with 18 in energy, 11 in ICT, 25 in transport, and 15 in water, prioritized and adopted by the African Union Heads of States in February 2021. The midterm review will assess the progress made so far in implementation and put forward recommendations for accelerated execution while addressing identified bottlenecks.
To further enhance the effectiveness of the PIDA Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM), AUDA-NEPAD is scaling up the Expert Service Pool (ESP) by integrating additional sector-specific expertise, particularly in transport and logistics. This will ensure that project selection criteria prioritize high-impact, high-readiness projects, accelerating their transition from preparation to execution.
Since its launch in November 2024, the pool has focused on enhancing early-stage project preparation through a strong pipeline of viable projects. A detailed methodological approach for screening and assessment of these projects was discussed. The ESP is focused on early-stage project preparation, working on projects selected from an initial list of 20 PIDA PAP II initiatives, which were presented to the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) during the workshop.
This exercise is expected to further enhance the implementation of PIDA projects by leveraging available financing opportunities. According to Yones Touitha, who spoke on behalf of Director Amine Idriss Adoum, Director of Industrialization, Infrastructure, and Economic Integration at AUDA-NEPAD, during the workshop’s opening.
To ensure greater accountability and transparency in implementation, AUDA-NEPAD will establish a real-time digital dashboard that will track project progress, financing gaps, and bottlenecks across PIDA PAP II projects. This initiative will provide an open-access reporting mechanism for stakeholders, facilitating evidence-based decision-making and accelerating project execution.
An important aspect of the workshop also included discussions around ensuring the sustainability of the PISP program and expanding its support to include capacity building for Regional Economic Communities (RECs). This request was made during the discussions as well as during other meetings held previously, including the PIDA Steering Committee meeting. ‘Strengthening the capacities of regional bodies will be vital in maintaining momentum and supporting the long-term success of PIDA projects,’ underscore participants.
Recognizing the need for localized expertise, AUDA-NEPAD is working to institutionalize decentralized capacity-building programs for Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and national infrastructure agencies. This approach will empower stakeholders at the implementation level with the necessary skills and technical assistance to drive early-stage project preparation and execution independently.
Mobilizing the Required Finances for Long-Term Success of PIDA
Given the significant annual financing need of $16.1 billion for PIDA PAP II, AUDA-NEPAD is exploring structured engagement frameworks with private sector investors and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). This includes the development of blended finance instruments and tailored Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) that will enhance project bankability and attract long-term infrastructure investment.
In his closing remarks, Ibrah Wahabou, Head of the Infrastructure Unit at AUDA-NEPAD, emphasized that the ongoing efforts will be further strengthened in the second half of PIDA PAP II, leading to increased investment mobilization and faster implementation. “At the end of the day, our success should be measured by two factors: first, the progress of the projects, and second, the amount of resources we have mobilized. The commitment demonstrated by all stakeholders today in driving these projects forward will determine the impact we can achieve.”
The meeting also agreed that the continued success of these projects depends on the sustained efforts of all partners, especially in mobilizing investment, enhancing regional capacities, and addressing challenges as they arise. The African Union’s efforts, in collaboration with partners, are helping to enhance Africa’s infrastructure capacity while contributing to the continent’s broader socio-economic development, regional integration, and sustainability goals. //
In a significant move to accelerate infrastructure development across Africa, the African Union (AU) is leveraging its Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM) to address early-stage project preparation challenges. This initiative comes in the wake of the AU’s adoption of the second phase of the Priority Action Plan (PIDA PAP2) in 2021, which outlines 69 critical infrastructure projects with an estimated investment of USD 161 billion.
The PIDA PAP2, covering energy, ICT, transport, and water sectors, aims to create interconnected infrastructure networks that enhance regional integration and economic development. This approach is crucial, given the African Development Bank’s estimate that the continent requires between USD 130-170 billion annually for infrastructure development.
One of the primary obstacles to smooth project progression has been the inadequate preparation of projects in their early stages. To tackle this issue, the AU, through its development agency AUDA-NEPAD, established the SDM in 2014. This tool is designed to streamline the project preparation process, facilitating easier access to financing and attracting investors for detailed engineering studies, construction, and maintenance.
A key feature of the SDM is the PIDA Quality Label (PQL), a recognition awarded to projects that excel in early-stage preparation. The Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, Intercontinental and Interregional Infrastructure, and Energy (STC-TTIIE) of the AU adopted the Quick Check Methodology and the Green Check Methodology, both of which are critical appraisals that are part of the PQL.
Examples of SDM’s impact are already evident. For instance, the North-South Power Transmission Corridor, a massive 8,000 km line project aimed at providing energy to 10 African countries, has benefited from SDM’s early-stage support. This project, which will connect Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, showcases the potential of cross-border infrastructure initiatives.
To date, the SDM has evaluated over 90 projects, assisting with the preparation of Terms of Reference, feasibility studies, and job estimations. Some of these projects have successfully secured financing for construction, demonstrating the effectiveness of the SDM approach.
Looking ahead, AUDA-NEPAD is organizing a workshop titled “SDM Workshop: Quality Assurance and Acceleration of the Preparation of Infrastructure Projects in Africa,” scheduled for October 8-10, 2024, in Sandton, Johannesburg. This event aims to share SDM results, present AUDA-NEPAD’s vision for improving SDM services, discuss best practices for innovative infrastructure financing, and establish new partnerships for project preparation and bankability.
As Africa continues to push for enhanced regional integration and economic growth, tools like the SDM are proving invaluable in bridging the gap between project conception and realization. With continued refinement and support, the SDM stands to play a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s infrastructure landscape for years to come.
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