Algerian Radio
Participants at Global Africa Tech 2026, which kicked off on Saturday in Algiers, called for the establishment of African digital sovereignty that would allow the continent to assert itself as a partner and key player in the global digital landscape.
At the opening of this major event, which runs until next Monday, speakers emphasized the need for Africa to break away from the logic of mere technology consumption to "assert itself as a partner and key player in the global digital sphere."
With this in mind, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Ms. Selma Malika Haddadi, expressed the continental organization's gratitude to the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, for the high-level organization of this important event. She emphasized that aspects related to telecommunications "are no longer simple technical issues, but strategic challenges that concern the future of Africa."
In this context, she reviewed Algeria's experience in this area, highlighting its role in the Trans-Saharan Fiber Optic Backbone project and satellite launches, recalling that digital sovereignty constitutes a "sine qua non condition for achieving the AU's Agenda 2063."
Furthermore, she warned of the persistence of the digital divide, noting that "millions of Africans live in areas covered by networks without being able to access them, due to a lack of means or skills."
For his part, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology, Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill, warned that Africa could become the largest consumer of artificial intelligence systems designed elsewhere and, therefore, based on data that "reflect neither its languages, its cultures, nor its priorities." He stressed that "the continent's participation in the global economy based on artificial intelligence, and its capacity to create solutions in the fields of agriculture, health, and climate adaptation, depend on the decisions that will be made in the next two to five years."
In this context, Mr. Gill praised the "Digital Algeria 2030" strategy, as well as the creation of the Scientific Council for Artificial Intelligence, considering that such decisions are poised to allow Africa to "take its destiny into its own hands."
For his part, the Kenyan Minister of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Mr. William Kabogo Gitau, highlighted the importance of "moving from isolated national efforts to interconnected continental ecosystems."
To achieve this goal, it is vital to "change the traditional perception of Africa as a mere consumer, by working to establish solid and equitable partnerships that allow it to take part in major decisions," he argued.
Organized under the high patronage of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Global Africa Tech 2026 constitutes a high-level platform bringing together major players and decision-makers in Africa and around the world to debate and collectively reflect on the future of the telecommunications and technology sector. Discussions are focusing on the development of terrestrial infrastructure, the strengthening of fiber optic networks, the launch of advanced initiatives in space communications, the securing of submarine cables, and the interconnection of smart ports, in order to enhance continental interconnectivity and support African digital sovereignty.
