EAC Ministers call for coordinated action on responsible AI and regional innovation
Date: 2026-04-03
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Ministers
from across the East African Community (EAC) have called for a transition from
technology consumption to innovation-driven development, urging coordinated
action to advance responsible artificial intelligence across the region.
The
call was made during the Ministerial Dialogue on Responsible AI Adoption at the
4th EAC Regional Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Conference, where
policymakers emphasized the need to translate high-level discussions into
practical and implementable outcomes.
Delivering
a keynote address, Monica Musenero Masanza, Uganda’s Minister for Science,
Technology and Innovation, urged regional leaders to adopt an economically
driven approach to AI development. She stressed that the focus should go beyond
access to technology and instead prioritize value creation, innovation, and
long-term economic impact.
Musenero
highlighted the importance of harmonised data strategies, the establishment of
AI innovation clusters, and the development of a unified East African AI
identity. She noted that coordinated regional policies would be critical to
ensuring that the benefits of artificial intelligence are captured and retained
within the continent.
Participants
at the dialogue underscored the need for stronger collaboration among
governments, private sector players, academia, and development partners to
build resilient and inclusive AI ecosystems.
The
ministers agreed that the outcomes of the three-day conference must drive
concrete action, positioning the EAC as not only a consumer of global
technologies but also a contributor to the development of innovative, locally
relevant solutions.
