LUSAKA – Lawmakers from across Africa have committed to fast-tracking legislation on artificial intelligence, digital health, and smart manufacturing following the conclusion of the inaugural Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit held in Zambia from July 9 to 11.
The three-day summit brought together more than 20 Members of Parliament from the Pan-African Parliament’s committees on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology, and Health, Labour and Social Affairs. The sessions focused on building policy frameworks that support Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
The summit, hosted in partnership with the African Population Health Research Center (APHRC) and the GSMA, ended with the adoption of the Lusaka Declaration—a joint document outlining steps to develop inclusive, responsible and evidence-based digital policies.
Eswatini’s representatives joined colleagues from across the continent in exploring ways to prepare African governments for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Key areas of focus included artificial intelligence in healthcare, the potential of smart manufacturing, and the need for harmonised laws that safeguard data privacy.
The draft Africa Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing reports, which were reviewed during the summit, are expected to be submitted to the Plenary of the Pan-African Parliament later this month in Midrand, South Africa.
Zambia’s Minister of Technology and Science, Honourable Felix Mutati, opened the summit, which also drew experts from AUDA-NEPAD, Africa CDC, ECOSOCC, and the African Peer Review Mechanism.
MPs pledged to push for investment in digital infrastructure, strengthen ICT and STEM education, and introduce training programmes for public service officers to better understand AI and data governance.
Estimates shared during the sessions suggest Africa’s digital health market could reach US$6.5 billion by 2030, if aligned policies are put in place to support innovation and attract investment.
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