Representatives from UNDP and timbuktoo Africa joined thousands of delegates in Kigali for the inaugural Global AI Summit on Africa from 3-4 April 2025. The Summit was convened to chart the path forward on AI advancement in Africa under the theme, AI and Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa’s Workforce.

At the opening session, Rwandan President Paul Kagame set the tone: "Africa must not be just a market for AI but an active player. To achieve this, we need to build strong infrastructure, train our people, and promote inclusive AI."

Hosted by the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology and Rwanda’s Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Summit brought together more than 1,000 participants including global leaders, government ministers, heads of state, tech giants, investors, academics, and researchers. UNDP was represented at the Summit by Resident Representatives from Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Central African Republic and officials from UNDP’s Chief Digital Office (CDO).
 

At the heart of the Summit was a powerful vision: to harness AI not as a distant technology, but as a powerful force for inclusive, sustainable transformation across the continent —one that reflects its values, protects its people, and powers its potential. The Summit discussions converged on a key idea: with proper investment in skills, digital literacy, and innovation, Africa’s youthful tech-savvy population can drive the continent toward a globally competetive AI-powered future that meets local needs. Additionally, Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources offer a sustainable foundation for powering the data centers and digital infrastructure that will underpin this transformation. Yet, as the continent accelerates into the AI era, critical challenges must be addressed: how to ensure safety, build public trust, uphold human rights, and guarantee equitable access to data. 

Speaking at the Summit, Fatmata Sesay, UNDP Rwanda Resident Representative highlighted the focus by UNDP on supporting countries on AI governance, advancing citizen participation in digital policy, leveraging youth demographics and developing local technical expertise in AI safeguards.

"Through ongoing collaboration with the Government of Rwanda, UNDP is supporting frameworks to ensure AI development is inclusive, ethical and sustainable," she said. "UNDP is proud to support the Government of Rwanda in establishing its AI Authority," she added.

She also highlighted the design and ambition of timbuktoo Africa, hosted in Rwanda, as the world’s largest initiative to support the innovation ecosystem for Africa.

During an interactive session on AI safety, Jennifer Louie, UNDP AI Trust and Safety Expert emphasised the urgency of collective action to close the AI equity gap through proactive and anticipatory measures that adapt to local contexts.

Also speaking at the Summit, Natalie Jabangwe, CEO of timbuktooafrica underscored the importance of scaling investments in key building blocks for Africa’s innovation ecosystem. She noted the immense promise and potential of AI as an enabler for Africa’s progress.

"Africa’s greatest selling points are its people, innovative products, and dynamic platforms," she said, adding that "timbuktoo intends to put the youth at the centre of development and advancement of nascent technologies such as AI, while consistently supporting their innovation and contribution to Africa’s progress."

On the sidelines of the Summit, Amandeep Gill, UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology visited the timbuktoo HealthTech Hub in Kigali. He witnessed the budding innovations and heard stories from the young entrepreneurs at the Hub. "By uniting people to address Africa’s key challenges, timbuktoo is proudly upholding the ideals of the UN," he said.

"With platforms such as timbuktoo, and the right policies that safeguard citizen’s rights, AI can be harnessed as a powerful tool to build the inclusive and thriving societies," he added.