The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
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>> MACTAR SECK: Good afternoon. Did you hear me? Hello. Channel number 1.
>> Good afternoon, focus on digital compact. Our country can take profit --
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>> Global Digital Compact have five objective. First connectivity. Second, inclusion. Third, governance. Four, cyber security and AI (?)
Our discussion is how African country, given challenge we are facing, can implement the five objective of the Global Digital Compact. We already have the African digital transformation strategy 2020‑2030. This process and all framework across the continent. We don't want discuss what's happened in any country in Africa. We need at end of this session to come up with a collaborative approach. Collaborative project between the country we have here at this panel.
Today we have Honourable Minister of (?) Minister for Information Technology and Technology. We also have Honourable Minister of Affirmation of Zambia. We have Honourable Minister of (?) Is here. I have also Madame Minister of ICT from Senegal and Chair of Senegal (?) And for the private sector I have also Mr. (?) Of ICANN and Africa, everybody knows as (?) Colony.
Let me start by Honourable Minister of Communication and Information, Technology and Information. Honourable Minister, we have seen lot of progress made by the government in term of implementation of information and technology for sustainable development. How can effectively align to avoid (?) Promote across all framework across country and continent and also to overcome issues like connectivity and affordability. Over to you.
>> Thank you for inviting me to be part of this very important discussion, I must say. I think going forward, have to look into this issue of duplication. Just this afternoon I was asking somebody ‑‑ I think Smart Africa this morning when I asked him, do you ever take time as different entities and organisations to sit down and see where at that level you are duplicating, where there are activities you do, programmes you do. He did indicate there is some duplication. I believe that is starting point, where the UN can bring everyone together to see where duplications are and eliminate duplications. Whatever savings we realise will be put into the projects, like the one you are proposing, where we have a project that is driving connectivity in the world and in Africa, if I may be allowed to talk for Africa specifically.
I think the biggest gaps, as we say all the time, the issue of accessibility, usability, the e‑commerce and e‑government. I think (?) Can take for every country to oblige I think is starting point. Most of our countries are not giving services digitally. Still long queues, long walks, heavy payments made for taxes and transport. If we can get to a point where WSIS drives e‑government that will be when this or come back later.
Also we need to integrate Africa and the world and get to point where software is an Open Source model. We need to share information more. Yesterday I talked about the introduction of satellite. How much shared. A satellite country or (?). Since like that can see as saving a lot of significant integrate and share costs for infrastructure. The high cost of data is biggest consent for us in Africa. I think we need to be deliberate. Bring private sector in and talk about the price of data. How it can be reduced. Talk about the price of smart devices. How we can reduce the price of smart devices or whether we need to build capacity to manufacture some of the smart devices in Africa. I think we need a different policy framework guided by WSIS to be cognizant of modern technologies and changes that come with it.
As you said, Your Excellency, the issue of having deliberate projects that move us from point A to point B, this is what we need. We need projects and programmes that move us from point A to point B.
I need to see platforms of accountability, where countries come in account and say this is what I am supposed to do, I couldn't do it. Or this is the target we have set for ourselves and be able to deliver. To get leaders to sign onto those targets so you can all account and be held accountable, also said by our societies.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you for your guidance. I think is very well understood. You give us lot of guidance how we can put into place strategy and digital skills of connectivity. Also we have to work together and accountability and work for IGF, within framework across national and professional level.
Let me Minister of (?) Telecommunication. Honourable Minister, (?) Example strategy to framework and (?)
>> Merci beaucoup.
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(Speaking non‑English language)
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you for sharing several examples, in term of capacity building, sharing infrastructure in some African countries and also some service‑sharing. It is very good example to show how we can use this technology and work together to cooperate between African country to make sure we have change in the continent. Now back to West Africa or so. I think we talk about ‑‑
(Inaudible)
>> Thank you for giving me the platform, the phenomena, if we consider this information. I think it is one of the greatest threats in stability as countries, not only Africa but around the world. Think you will all agree misinformation and disinformation is a new phenomena and been a while ago. What is changing is now threat. That is why we believe proliferation of social and media has spread this fake information. In Gambia, there was (?) But also credibility of press.
Now the spread of misinformation has been weaponized.
(Inaudible)
>> Research has shown politicians not just leaders are key for this misinformation. Often (?) Media chiefs, information and why Minister of Gambia (?) In committee, education and with misinformation while working with key stakeholders to give them tools to be able to do ethical, actual, credible reporting. This is crucial in transition. Recognizing this, the ministry is building partnerships with all stakeholders in information in the system to empower media with knowledge, skills and tools (?) Prevent this information and fake news.
Objectives, I want to strengthen from practices that safeguard public trust and (?) But having capacity (?) The threat and force collaboration of media leaders for new strategies for misinformation and disinformation. How are we doing this? Working with participants and stakeholders for guidelines for combatting misinformation and fake news. They are legislative and based on existing practices locally and internationally of press freedom and express but also want to develop a national action plan against this information. We call it The Plan, a draft and commit to national plan to the spread of misinformation and fake news.
The outline approaches coordinate a response on critical issues that seek peace and tranquility. This action plan will seek to create significant government, media and Civil Society accord of practice. Realizing in age of deep fakes, forgeries, manipulated news you need to account for this. The tool I use, that is why we are working as a ministry to establish what we call a national misinformation and response centre. This response centre will be very sophisticated and (?). We are working with (?) To work on this. Launching a centralized one in our platform that will help citizens, journalists and government to question information, tracking threats but also deliver fact. I can describe what is about but maybe want to discuss it later. It also has original component where we want to make sure it is integrative to echo region to make sure we use the generated tools to identify misinformation and disinformation.
>> MACTAR SECK: This is important you highlight this information, this platform also. I'm happy you have cooperation of this Internet platform, we discuss later to see how we can collaborate on this (?)
Now let me move ‑‑ we talk about policy, have some key application. As highlight by the Minister of (?) We have several connectivity and access. Now (?) And need to provide access to all and offer access, I'm going to ask discussion to Madam (?) Former Minister of ICT in Senegal and coordinator of telecommunication service of Senegal. Madam...
(Speaking non‑English language)
>> Merci beaucoup.
(Speaking non‑English language)
>> When we talk about universal fund, the first is put up the infrastructure. Now facing challenges in Africa for the digital infrastructure. When you talk about it, is related to digital I.D. , payment system and digital integrity. What we need in private sector. We have some issue to deal. Let me ask now my friend how we can improve the development of (?) across continent. I think example and how to fund.
>> He gave me the most difficult question.
(Laughter)
>> Let me just start by saying since GDC and last G20 meeting in Delhi, there is a push. First of all, we appreciate very much the 20 years of efforts that took place in Africa, delivering digital transformation. Many challenges of power. Challenges of connectivity. Challenges of capacity‑building and governance and implementation of those. Generally speaking, we can easily adjust digital ‑‑ do you all know what is DPI? Digital Public Infrastructure? Who doesn't know DPI? Everybody knows DPI. Okay. Now for DPI, this is mainly to provide a framework that would give Open Source application standards, et cetera, so we can all collaborate in a solution that serves the public. In order to do this, we have the co‑DPI, main structure and application layer of the DPI that would provide the requirement.
Because now we are getting into more maturity we can easily relate DPI investment to (?). This is the whole thing. If we are able to identify properly the sectors of priority, like health care, education, finance and others, crisis management and identify proposal that reflect internal investments that take place, the impacts that will happen by implementing the proper DPI, then we are able to generate the required funds, whether from funding ‑‑ assistant committee or multi ‑lateral banking ‑‑ development banking or even private sectors.
It is quite important, really, to identify the priority sectors to work on. It is important also to collaborate with similar other African countries to identify their knowledge, experience and best practice delivering DPI. There are few African countries that have already been on the front in delivering projects for DPI. I would be quite better to learn from them that experience managing the challenges, and also even identifying the funds to support their implementation of DPI.
And really identifying the level of impact that took place, accordingly. Along with that, there are several funds that are coming. We expect more to come. By the way, during the period from 2017 to 2021, there were ‑‑ I need just to check the amount. There were around 1.2 billion U.S. Dollar invested in 2021 for DPI. More is expected. From development assistant committee donors, that accounts for about 60% of this funding. Multi‑lateral banks, 23% and private donors for 17%. Some main donors were U.K., Germany, Norway, Sweden and Canada. Along with South Carolina, France and (?).
Generally, approach for funding agency is they support the global health and communication sectors specifically, so they supported related and platforms and services as well as inclusion by Internet and digital payment. Funding for DPI includes Big Data response, big government and e‑learning as well. And funding receive like 50% of Development Assistance Committee funding between 2017 and 2021. Which means there are funds and increasing. With GDC more focused on DPI to serve the SDGs. Important to identify the SDGs we need to serve, the plans to and to accelerate the SDG process. Foundational digital system, DPI can help wide range of development objective and respond much more effectively to crisis and getting SDGs back on track.
SDG 1, decent growth. SDG 16, justice and strong institutions. Enhancing resilience and emergency responses are various SDGs. Gender equality, SDG 10, reduce unequal equality. 10, affordable clean energy. And 12, responsible consumption. SDG 13, climate action. According these, there are many that can be really done simply by looking at the other countries in our continent that have delivered on the DPI. And provided projects with clear impact on the SDGs and repeating this on the other countries.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you very much.
>> Also use as much as possible ‑‑
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you. I like very well but didn't tell us where we will find money for DPI.
(Laughter)
>> MACTAR SECK: Where we get money. The money is where? But it is okay. We are going to discuss on this. Because DPI is very important for the continent. We are implementing the African area. We need to travel as adequate infrastructure to promote trade between all African country with digital payment system to overcome the 700 million ‑‑ 500 million African people without form of I.D. And develop e‑governments and more transparency for the citizen.
Now back to my friend (?) You do everything but I will not ask you to tell all about some of Africa. Just let's focus on AI. What you are doing in AI. We have Smart Africa Blueprint and putting in place AI fund, lot of activity around AI in continent. Please tell us challenge for AI in Africa and key action by Smart Africa.
>> Thank you very much, Brother Mactar. We hear from my brother on the left talk about DPI. We have Minister talk about connectivity and lack of coordinations and all that. We heard from Senegal about universal access and hear from Chad and brother from Gambia on technology. Now we have the AI. If you look at your question, it talks about inclusive growth. For us in Africa, the definition of inclusions in Africa is very different from definition of inclusion in the west. For us, the AI will be equalizer for the inclusions. Why, because we have over 2,000 languages in Africa. How do we make sure people do not speak any other language be included in life and socioeconomic development. That is why Smart Africa will launch April 4th the Africa AI Council.
We are working not only government but this is a multi ‑stakeholder platform. Why? We are putting this together to address five things. When we talk AI, we talk about computing power. Do we have computing power in light of all these challenges we are facing. Number two, datasets. The AI is nourished from the data. Three, we have the algorithm, which is, of course, a bias, so we need to know exactly where is it coming from. Four, AI governance. Factually does not mean step in to put the rigid regulation but we need to have some safeguard to make sure the AI will be used ethically, inclusively, sustain BLI. Number five is the market. How actually we can use AI as a tool to actually grow the market, increase jobs in Africa. That is what we are doing.
Those are challenges. Those can only be overcome if we work together. That is why Smart Africa exist, with one vision to transform Africa into a single market in 2030. By the way, this is only five years ago. No country in Africa can succeed in AI alone. That is why we need work together in computing power, policy harmonization and we have already started policy harmonization. Over 19 have their AI policy. How do we make sure they are coordinated to the AI governance elaborated by the UN as the global compact, the WSIS and the governance forum. When any agency talks and AI, they talk about private sector. Model from America, from model in China and Europe. In Africa we need to talk about a future model driven by African private sector, let's not forget that. The governments should be creating a conducive environment for private sector to step in for the right, appropriate time with the appropriate investment to be able to strive in the digital era, particularly the AI, thank you.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you for this, the challenge of key activity undertaken by Smart Africa to make AI available across the continent.
Now let me open the floor for ten minutes. If you have any contribution. One minute each. Let me start.
>> Yeah, thank you.
>> MACTAR SECK: You can come if you want to take the floor.
>> Is the mic on?
>> MACTAR SECK: Go ahead.
>> Thank you, distinguished panelists. I will first talk Mr. (?) We have the digital strategy. As you said 19 countries has done their own national AI strategy. Why don't you think we just localize our own strategy instead of individual countries. Same thing has happened with the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy. I feel we don't have Harmonization. When we don't listen, we see our own cyber security and ‑‑ has not protection. We have seen what has happened. Less than 25 African countries have signed it. It makes it look like we are joking, don't respect what our union does. I would like you to address that in regard to ‑‑
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you.
>> Thank you for the wonderful presentations. What my issue is is this, just to make a suggestion. Oftentimes we meet as African continent, from different countries, talking about digital gap, talking about cybersecurity, misinformation, disinformation. I was wondering if we could maybe concentrate on one or two items where those countries that are available here can consider. In particular example, we talk about misinformation, disinformation. What can we do together as a continent or region to help fight it. Because is critical issue. Is actually stretching our democracy on the continent. If we can come up with one project, one thing where we can collaborate to see we have something in place to fight misinformation or disinformation because it is a threat to democracy of this continent.
>> Thank you very much. My name is (?) From Ghana. My issue got to do with Smart Africa. This is my personal understanding, what I've seen. It looks like Smart Africa is trying to do the same thing that in the community we are doing. But what I think is I would like to see Smart Africa and look what we are doing and trying to bring us together to see what we can do to achieve whatever end we want to achieve.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you.
>> Thank you very much to all the panelists and to submissions that have been made. I think the session has not only been informative but enlightening, regional perspective. Speaking on the topic of inclusion, I think it is very important, especially as the representative from Smart Africa said, in Africa inclusion looks different to the west, to Asia and to the European areas. It is representing different groups. It is different identities. And understanding those marginal identities within policymaking, within our project implementation, within our theories of change and actually implementation of projects, whether Civil Society, government, NGOs, we need to go directly to those people. Standing here, I'm speaking on behalf of the youth. I'm saying that here if we are going to be talking about bridging the digital divide and inclusive growth. We go back to Africa, a continent that is 65% youth. People under 35 years old. We are going to need to make sure that they are going to be part of these conversations. That their voice is going to be heard. But also, when speaking specifically on the topic of the Internet and using it as a vehicle of growth and transformation in South Africa, we've got what we call the fourth industrial revolution ‑‑
>> Thank you.
>> We are using this as a vehicle of change.
>> MACTAR SECK: Next please.
>> My name is (?) From Ghana. In terms of what we are talking about and flowing from (?) In terms of connectivity, Minister talked about it, but there is one important aspect we talked in context of Africa. We often miss out the grassroots. If we want the change to happen in Africa, it is going to be coming from the grassroots. Whatever top‑down thing we are doing, and we don't have that innovation from the grassroots from down there, is going to be very problematic. Minister and other panelists, we are here to help you. We are the African Internet Community Programme and help grassroots to be connected and have device and backpack and solve these problems with African innovation and technology, thank you.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you.
>> Thank you, my name is (?) Member of Parliament from Egypt. Actually I want to talk about data sets you have been talking about. As we all know, of course, data is the most important thing in the AI and in the future it will be the new golden ‑‑ everything. But Africa, of course, had the largest datasets in the world. But we are not integrating. We are not working together. We don't have data flow. We don't have even regulation or any kind of forming this datasets to be able to be validated and to be used for the AI models, and we can have this leverage on all AI companies. We just need to integrate and work together.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you, I will take ‑‑
>> Hi, my name is (?) From Ghana. This goes to (?) You have put in place to handle misinformation also is something I really got interested in, but I wanted to ask this. So how are you doing this? How are you going to build the trust in public information, especially in communities, the rural communities. You know they don't have access to all these platform, so how are you going to start from there? If someone can just go to (?) Say AI is going to kill all of you. They will start spreading it, all of a sudden, everybody starts running from the village if they don't know it is true or ‑‑
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you, we don't have enough time. Thank you to the speaker, the participant. I will give floor to panelists to answer two minutes. And each of you, what we can do together. You can answer any question. But more important, what we can do together between Mali, Senegal, Gambia and Chad and support from south Africa and ECA. We are together. Egypt also. The honourable Minister to answer and provide guidance what we can do together. I suggest we agree on one collaborative project. We can start working together. We present Smart Africa and press on this project. Transfer Africa will be in July in (?). If we have idea of project we can work together and move forward in Smart Africa, Transform Africa meeting and start with the Minister of (?)
>> Thank you, Programme Director. I think I had other ideas until I had a lady who represents young people in the room. I have been having this idea that I think we need to bring the youth and understand what is the job opportunities for them in the ICT spectrum. Job in my symposium is what we need to do together, thank you.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you. Minister.
>> Well, thank you very much. I think the platform we are talking about, the original component, integration strategy here, we designed it to indicate seamlessly across Africa. The pilot, share insights and tools with counterparts with collective resilience in information companies. So briefly we will structure the platform to do more data sharing, scale architecture but also allow the platform to evolve so we can support participation in regional early warning systems, in Gambia, conduct activity, secure information and stability of West African community. We can discuss this later to see how we can collaborate so that we create a synergy that can allow us to fight together this phenomenon.
To answer man's question on how we really engage people in the communities, that is why a first initiative was to send people to communities. We take leaders. We don't send to go there. People from there, I talk to people in their natural habitat, discuss issues with them, so they can identify what is fake news but also how to verify fake news. Also we work together with platform, WhatsApp so we encourage they use this and clarify information they deem to be misinformation.
>> Thank you, Honourable Minister of Chad.
>> Merci beaucoup.
(Speaking non‑English language)
>> ‑‑
(Speaking non‑English language)
>> MACTAR SECK: Quickly.
>> I have two projects and one recommendation. What is clear is we don't have enough synergy between African continent. This is what we have seen in cybersecurity and others. There are efforts by AKA, African Union, but the fact is, we still have paths to go. One project is we need shortly to agree together on project where we have information portal where we can identify the challenges of each country, the opportunities of each country, the best practices that took place in implementing DPI and other opportunity and what type of project are there and what successful projects have been taking place so we can replicate and consider countries that have success fully implemented project and transformation as a pilots for rest of our continent ‑‑ we deliver ‑‑
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you, only one minute.
>> Another one ‑‑
>> MACTAR SECK: Is okay. No, it is fine ‑‑ we have project now ‑‑
>> Is I ‑‑ I ‑‑ quickly, I suggest an AI ‑‑
>> MACTAR SECK: No, no, we have enough project. Let me give the floor to (?)
>> If I have one thing to say to respond also to these answers, it is not about what size should fit all. All sizes should fit together. It means common denominator in policy in harmonization but in Africa if we do not get together we will not be leveraging the size. The difference is about size, India and Africa, about size. Africa is 1.4 billion. If we are in silo, it is late‑technology. That is why we have obligation to work together, so let's work together.
>> MACTAR SECK: Thank you very much. It is end of session. I think we learn lot about policy challenge, perspective in Africa, AI, digital public infrastructure. We already identify four project. We can work together on these four project and make proposal to the Honourable Minister of (?) One project to Mr. (?) Minister of Gambia and Minister of Chad to see how these projects can work quickly. By the next IGF, we can have some quickly from this discussion. Otherwise, I want to thank you, everybody and panellists, see you soon, bye‑bye.
(Applause)
