Influences
Bourita: Africa Must Master AI for Its Security and Future
Africa must, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, become a key player in AI to address its challenges and seize its opportunities, from security to agriculture, while strengthening training and infrastructure.
The African continent is called upon to become an active player in matters related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), affirmed Thursday in Rabat the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita.
During a press conference following the ministerial meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC), held via video conference, Bourita emphasized that «the continent must be an active and involved player in current global issues, including AI, and not remain a subject of debates and agendas».
He recalled that this meeting falls within the framework of Morocco’s presidency of the PSC for March and the scheduled activities and meetings. He added that it is the first African Union meeting dedicated to AI at the ministerial level.
It was marked by the participation of eight members of the Peace and Security Council out of a total of 15, specified the government official.
This meeting, he continued, aligns with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI regarding Africa’s positioning, particularly in AI, to address the challenges posed by this technology and capitalize on its opportunities and potentialities. He stressed the need for the continent to master this new tool to enhance its security and stability.
Similarly, Bourita highlighted that Africa, faced with numerous classic challenges such as armed conflicts and separatist groups, now faces new challenges related to AI. He explained that 40% of terrorist groups use these technologies in their operations, while 47 countries worldwide have been targeted by AI interventions in their electoral processes.
He noted that the spread of fake videos has increased by 900% over the past five years, while fake news has grown by more than 300% over the past three years. This demonstrates the extent of the impact of this technology on security and stability in Africa.
On the other hand, the government official continued, AI offers enormous opportunities, particularly in agricultural production, which could increase by 10 to 20% thanks to this technology, at a time when the continent is also facing food security challenges.
Furthermore, the minister emphasized the importance of Africa’s active engagement to promote AI, recalling Morocco’s role in this field, particularly through the launch of the Friends of AI Group for Sustainable Development within the United Nations framework.
Additionally, Bourita stressed the need to strengthen training and invest in specialized human capital in these technologies. He observed that only 1% of AI experts and engineers are from Africa, and nearly 70,000 of them have emigrated abroad.
He insisted on developing infrastructure in Africa to keep pace with the rapid evolution of the sector and establishing an adapted legal framework. He noted that Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, is making its digital expertise available to its African brothers and sisters within the framework of South-South cooperation advocated by the Kingdom.
