Dakar: 4th Edition of the International Forum Africa Heart of the World (ACM 2024)

Theme: “Making Artificial Intelligence an Opportunity for Africa”

CONTEXT:

Africa has a young, dynamic population, with over half under the age of 25, and it’s concerned about its future in a globalized world that continues to experience economic recessions and wars between major powers and neighboring countries. The continent is threatened by these disruptions, which keep our economies, technology, and GDP per capita heavily reliant and dependent. Digitalization becomes the only plausible alternative to reduce this dependency and inequalities, and to transform major challenges into opportunities for economic and social growth. The lives of African populations have rapidly changed due to the digital revolution. From the use of mobile phones, computers, social networks, to applications digitizing daily needs, it’s evident that this has consequences on social, economic, and territorial levels as geographical boundaries fade away. We must be aware of the business surrounding digitalization, its investments, infrastructures, and regulations, which have less significant and advantageous influences on the development of African states. The new factor, artificial intelligence (AI), in all its components, efficiently contributes to the development of certain Western countries by facilitating access to basic services for citizens and boosting key sectors of the economy. It is necessary to catch up with this trend and effectively leverage the progress of artificial intelligence for African states. Our states must invest more in telecom infrastructure for better interoperability within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), unify regulatory frameworks, and invest in innovation, entrepreneurship, and research and development. Artificial intelligence presents real opportunities and significant potential in the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors to boost Africa’s economy and double GDP per capita. Here are some key areas in which AI can have a significant impact for inclusive development in Africa:

AGRICULTURE:

AI can be used for precision agriculture, crop monitoring, and yield forecasting, helping farmers optimize resources and increase productivity. Implementing AI-powered tools for pest detection, disease diagnosis, and weather forecasting can contribute to better crop management.

HEALTHCARE:

AI can assist in disease diagnosis, analyzing medical images, and predicting outbreaks, especially in remote areas where access to healthcare may be limited. Telemedicine platforms can benefit from AI-driven chatbots and virtual health assistants to provide information and support for essential healthcare and minor illnesses.

FINANCIAL INCLUSION:

AI-powered financial technologies (fintech) can help extend banking services to underserved populations, enabling mobile payments, microfinance, and personalized financial advice. Fraud detection and risk assessment using AI algorithms can improve the security of financial transactions.

ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND SMART CITIES:

AI can be used to optimize traffic flow, manage public services, and improve energy efficiency in urban areas. Smart grid technologies can benefit from AI to improve energy distribution and reduce waste.

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:

AI can help monitor and manage natural resources such as water, forests, and wildlife using satellite imagery, sensors, and data analysis. Predictive analysis using AI can help mitigate the impact of climate change on ecosystems.

E-COMMERCE AND TRADE:

AI-powered recommendation engines can enhance the customer experience on e-commerce platforms. AI-based logistics and supply chain management can improve efficiency and reduce costs in trade and distribution.

GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC SERVICES:

AI can be applied to improve government services, enhance public safety, and optimize resource allocation. Data analysis and predictive modeling, via AI, can help policymakers make informed decisions.

RENEWABLE ENERGY:

AI can optimize the operation and maintenance of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind farms to ensure optimal energy production. Predictive maintenance can help reduce downtime and increase the lifespan of renewable energy infrastructure.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION:

AI can enable African entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions to local challenges, fostering a culture of technological innovation. Incubators and accelerators can leverage AI to identify and support promising startups.

With the many opportunities AI presents, it is essential for African states to consider the ethical and social implications of adopting AI and ensure that the benefits are equitably replicated among diverse communities in Africa. Moreover, questions arise on how we can address challenges related to investment, infrastructure, education, data privacy, and regulation to see successful outcomes and make AI a source of prosperity and development in all African states. This immense challenge has sparked a keen interest from Edutrace and its partners to make the fourth edition of the ACM forum, which will be held on June 1st at the Senegalese Investors Club, a platform where internationally renowned experts will promulgate recommendations and solutions for successful implementation of AI, hence the theme of utmost importance, “Making AI an Opportunity for Africa”.

OBJECTIVES OF THE FOURTH EDITION OF THE FORUM:

The Africa Heart of the World Forum provides a platform to discuss conditions for accelerating economic growth by leveraging tools for competitiveness and productivity. To this end, presentations will focus on digitalization, the impact of AI, and strategies for reducing the gap with industrialized countries. The Forum is an opportunity to highlight flagship projects and reforms in AI in Senegal, opportunity sectors, the business environment, and priorities in strengthening information and communication technologies. Specifically, the forum focuses on opportunities and transformations in the African economy, the promotion and construction of technopoles and data centers capable of meeting Africa’s digital sovereignty requirements by 2035. The key ideas of the event include:

Analyzing the conditions for the emergence of African AI; Proposing projects and financing models for AI in Africa; Proposing solutions for better increasing digital accessibility by addressing challenges related to infrastructure and connectivity; Encouraging the private sector to invest and create innovative products and services through AI in healthcare, agriculture, energy, water, sanitation, telecommunications, logistics, etc.; Converging towards better data policies, regulatory frameworks, and accessibility to catalyze AI development; Fostering a strong appetite for scientific knowledge among young people and women; Benefiting from analysis by consultants from major consulting firms to guide or strengthen your AI strategy; Discovering the most promising investment projects exclusively; Establishing privileged contacts with public decision-makers interested in developing public-private partnerships (PPP) for better accessibility and efficiency of public services in African states; Associating innovation with research to reduce the impact of study costs by combining employment and graduation through the exploitation of AI subdomains;

METHODOLOGY:

Edutrace is committed to the challenge of uplifting economies. This commitment is materialized by creating a mega-forum where internationally renowned experts are invited. The interventions of invited experts can enrich reflections and ideas in favor of Africa’s development under the magic wand of AI. To this end, organizations will be able to form partnerships, engage in business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) sessions, and gain a better understanding of AI’s impact on key job-creating sectors and value-added sectors in Africa. Operationally, the meeting will be a high-level platform focused on interoperability of trade systems and transport routes in African countries through AI to promote the growth of trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and intra-Africa. Additionally, the fourth edition of the international Africa Heart of the World Forum 2024 will be highly accentuated in spaces for meetings between business leaders and public authorities, between young entrepreneurs and targeted investors in various sectors, with the aim of jointly achieving the development of Africa, significantly reducing inequalities, and creating sufficient jobs. Organized in an original and collaborative format, the workshops will provide participants with the opportunity to address rich and diverse themes from a practical perspective. The themes selected for the forum are related to the guiding theme of the 2024 edition, “Making AI an Opportunity for Africa”:

Workshop #1: “An artificial intelligence enabling alternative credit risk assessment.”
Workshop #2: “How can AI accelerate and facilitate financing for priority areas: (…) for Africa’s development?”
Workshop #3: “How to succeed in the challenge of implementing robust technological infrastructures and training a specialized workforce to transform Senegal into a continental technological power?”

To encourage interactivity and sharing of experiences, forum participants will have the opportunity to share their views, network, and schedule individual meetings (B2B and B2G) to define future relationships regarding investment programs and projects during a Do Tank, focusing on the essential theme:

Do Tank: “Results of the Startup Act in Senegal.”

To make the fourth edition of the international “Africa Heart of the World” forum an event that is both international, interdisciplinary, and professional, the chosen speakers are CEOs, Ambassadors, and executives in investment and development banks of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As part of the forum, the Edutrace platform and its partners (network of experts and international public and private organizations) will present awards (5 Africa Heart of the World Awards) to reward the most innovative and competitive African companies, as well as the best investors of the year in AI. The main stakeholders include administrations, the Senegalese Investors Club, private sector organizations, technical and financial institutes oriented towards supporting SMEs in Africa, and civil society.