By: Nana Appiah
Acquaye
The
African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and the United Nations Office for
Digital and Emerging Technologies (UN-ODET) have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation on artificial intelligence
capacity development and digital public infrastructure across Africa.
The
agreement was signed in Geneva on the sidelines of the International
Telecommunication Union’s AI for Good Global Summit, with ATU Secretary General
John Omo joining United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for
Digital and Emerging Technologies Amandeep Gill for the signing ceremony.
The
partnership aims to promote safe, inclusive and locally relevant digital
technologies that align with Africa’s development priorities while supporting
countries in building stronger digital ecosystems.
Through
the cooperation framework, ATU and UN-ODET will focus on enhancing AI
capabilities and advancing Digital Public Infrastructure through open, secure
and responsive systems designed to support African governments and
institutions.
The
two organisations said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to
ensuring that emerging technologies contribute to inclusive digital
transformation and enable countries to participate meaningfully in the global
digital economy.
ATU,
which continues to represent Africa’s interests in global telecommunications
and digital policy discussions, said the partnership will provide opportunities
for collaboration among member states, private sector stakeholders, academic
institutions, innovators and the wider digital community.
