African Nations Urged to Embrace AI for Industrial Growth and Poverty Alleviation

African countries must harness innovations and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), to accelerate industrial growth and address pressing socioeconomic issues such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality, a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) official stated on Tuesday, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Tally Einav, UNIDO’s representative to several East African nations, emphasized the importance of leveraging local innovations and sharing best practices at a forum ahead of the upcoming African Industrialization Week in Kampala, Uganda, scheduled for November 25-29. Einav noted that Africa is on the brink of an industrial takeoff that could lead to shared prosperity and increased competitiveness for locally manufactured goods.

She highlighted that sustainable industrialization is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling the aspirations of Agenda 2063. This year’s theme for African Industrialization Week focuses on “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Green Industrialization to Accelerate Africa’s Structural Transformation.”

Einav called for investments in infrastructure and skills development while encouraging private sector involvement to foster innovation. She stressed that developing a robust indigenous manufacturing sector is vital for mitigating disruptions in global supply chains caused by geopolitical tensions and climate change.