Ministry of Education to Host Regional AI Forum in Nairobi

Ministry of Education to Host Regional AI Forum in Nairobi

The Ministry of Education (MoE) will be hosting the Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI) in Nairobi from June 24th to 26th, 2024.

Organized jointly with the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, the forum is a collaboration between the Government of Kenya (GoK) and UNESCO.

Its purpose is to explore the potential of AI to foster sustainable development and societal transformation in Eastern Africa (EA) and nearby Indian Ocean islands.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu explained that the forum is designed to stimulate discourse on the AI policy environment within the EA sub-region, supporting the development and use of universally agreed practices in AI globally.

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Goals and Objectives

The forum has several primary goals:

• Explore the future of a technology-enhanced economy.
• Advance the implementation of UNESCO’s 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.
• Develop strategies to strengthen human and institutional capacities via UNESCO’s AI and Digital Transformation Competency Framework for Civil Servants and the Judiciary.
• Contribute to the creation of an African Union (AU) Continental Framework on AI.
• Strengthen international cooperation and partnerships to promote equitable, inclusive, transparent, effective, and ethical AI policies.
• Assess entities and expert groups working on or applying AI within EA.

Expected Outcomes

Participants and organizers anticipate the following outcomes:

• A statement containing actionable recommendations for developing and ethically using AI in EA.
• Establishment of an EA AI Taskforce.
• Formation of Country Networks on AI within EA.

Themes and Sub-Themes

The central theme of the forum is “Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sustainable development: Reinforcing capacities, promoting ethics for AI, and strengthening partnerships and international cooperation.” Plenary panels will address these sub-themes:

1. AI Governance: Perspectives from EA.
2. Building an enabling environment for ethical AI development and use in EA.
3. AI and Human Capital development through Education.
4. Women and Girls’ Empowerment in AI.

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Participants

The forum will feature a diverse group of participants, including:

• Ministers and senior technical experts from the region.
• UNESCO National Commissions from Eastern Africa.
• Representatives from the EAC and IGAD Secretariat.
• AU representatives.
• Delegates from UN agencies and other international/regional organizations.
• Civil society organizations.
• Leaders in the AI industry.
• Academic experts.
• Youths and students.
• Media representatives.

Ministry of Education to Host Regional AI Forum in Nairobi

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