GENEVA
President Paul Kagame called on African nations to move beyond being consumers of artificial intelligence and become builders of the technology, telling delegates at the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit that Africa is ready to “build and deploy it at scale.”
Addressing heads of state, technology executives, policymakers and development leaders gathered in Geneva, Kagame said countries must be intentional about how artificial intelligence is designed, financed and governed to ensure it drives development rather than deepens global inequality.
“We must be intentional about designing, funding and governing AI so as to reach its full potential,” Kagame said.
“In Africa, we are no longer satisfied with being passive consumers of technology. We want to build and deploy it at scale. Our objectives are clear and we will continue working together to achieve them,” he added.
Kagame outlined three priorities he said are essential if AI is to deliver equitable growth: expanding infrastructure to support computing capacity, connectivity and clean energy; investing in skills through continuous education reform; and strengthening global governance frameworks that promote accountability and trust.
His remarks came during the AI for Good Global Summit, the United Nations’ leading platform on artificial intelligence.
The July 7-10 summit was organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with more than 50 U.N. agencies and was co-convened in Geneva with the Government of Switzerland.
It brought together governments, technology companies, researchers and international organizations to explore how AI can advance sustainable development while establishing global guardrails for its use.
Kagame said the world had entered a new phase of digital transformation, where connectivity alone was no longer sufficient.
“Today, connectivity is no longer the end goal. We are now transitioning to the era of data-driven growth. Artificial intelligence is the common denominator that will redefine healthcare, education and energy, among many other sectors,” he said.
“As a commission, our mission is to ensure this transformation does not widen existing divisions. The task ahead of us is urgent, but we will face challenges. The objective isn’t just to have a conversation. It is to ensure everything we agree to do gets translated into tangible and practical outcomes.”
New commission aims to shape global AI governance
Kagame’s address followed the launch of the AI for Good Global Commission, announced five days before the summit.
The high-level initiative is co-chaired by Kagame and Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff, with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin serving as vice chair.
The commission brings together 44 leaders from government, industry, academia and the United Nations to identify practical ways artificial intelligence can be harnessed to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges while promoting responsible governance.
During the summit, Kagame joined Benioff and Bogdan-Martin for a fireside chat marking the commission’s official launch before co-chairing its inaugural meeting.
Reflecting on his decision to accept the role, Kagame noted that after serving for 16 years as co-chair of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, a body he credited with helping expand connectivity around the world, he had initially considered stepping back from additional international responsibilities.
“I thought I needed to take a break,” he said. “But this is a very good task to carry out.”
The commission’s founding members include Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark, Estonian President Alar Karis and senior officials from Kazakhstan, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Nigeria.
The launch comes as governments and technology companies face growing pressure to ensure AI systems are developed responsibly and equitably.
At the summit, U.N. Women highlighted persistent gaps in gender representation and fairness in AI.
Citing research from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership, the agency said 44% of 133 AI systems studied exhibited measurable gender bias, while 26% showed both gender and racial bias.
Only 24 of 138 countries assessed referenced gender in their national AI strategies, and just 18 included substantive provisions.
Separately, Germany’s development agency GIZ and the African Union called for AI development to be anchored in stronger national ecosystems, arguing that enabling policies, accessible data, digital infrastructure and long-term partnerships are essential if artificial intelligence is to accelerate economic transformation.
