By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Gabon has begun work on the
development of its future National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, with
participants set to identify the country’s existing capacities, needs and
conditions for developing artificial intelligence rooted in Gabonese realities.
The process began on Monday,
September 28, at the Palais des Congrès in Libreville and is being led by the
Government with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The opening session was led
by Aline Sylvie MINKO-MI-ETOUA, Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital
Economy, Digitalization and Innovation, who established the strategic framework
for the process.
Soahangy Mamisoa Rangers,
Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP, is supporting the process alongside
experts involved in the development of the strategy.
The Ministry said the
digital ecosystem, public administrations, general management and their teams
were present to contribute to the process and give substance to a collective
reflection on the country’s artificial intelligence priorities.
The first day of discussions
focused on an inventory of the artificial intelligence ecosystem in Gabon, the
presentation of the AI Hub and an introduction to the UNDP AI Assessment
Framework (AILA) and the associated survey.
The work will continue until
September 30, during which participants will examine existing capacities, needs
and the conditions required to develop what the Ministry described as “a
useful, responsible AI rooted in Gabonese realities.”
The process is aimed at
defining the orientations and priorities of a national strategy that will
position artificial intelligence as a lever for transformation in service of
the Gabonese people.
The initiative comes as
Gabon works to establish a coordinated national framework for artificial
intelligence, bringing together government institutions, the digital ecosystem
and development partners in the strategy-development process.
