Urso: EU and Africa together to share economic, social and environmental growth of the two continents
Officially inaugurated, at the headquarters of UNDP Italy in Rome, the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, a platform created under the Italian Presidency of the G7 on the initiative of MIMIT and the United Nations Development Programme, in collaboration with African partners involved in the Mattei Plan. The event was attended by 500 participants from more than 60 countries, to which were added hundreds of streaming users. During the day of presentation of the initiative, 25 public-private partnerships were announced between the main African innovators, Italian, European and G7 companies and government leaders from the 14 African countries participating in the Mattei Plan: Algeria, Angola, Congo Brazzaville, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia.
The Hub aims to accelerate sustainable industrial growth in Africa through the responsible use of artificial intelligence, leveraging the role of global innovative partnerships to strengthen local ecosystems. The launch event highlighted a central theme: outdated solutions and traditional collaborations are not able to meet the unique needs of the dynamic African market for this technology; Bold partnerships are needed to push AI infrastructures and ecosystems across the continent towards a prosperous future for all.
“This initiative is a fundamental part of the wider mosaic represented by the Mattei Plan. An equal partnership, as it was in the imagination and action of Enrico Mattei, the result of a clear vision of our President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, and that today is involving the EU and Africa to share the economic, social and environmental growth of the continent. We will work together intensively to ensure that the AI Hub develops at its best and quickly, in the full conviction that this can be the real great development opportunity for the area and for our Europe,” said Mr. Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy.
“The approval by G7 leaders of the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, in Borgo Egnazia in 2024, was an international recognition that responsible AI development is fundamental to global stability and shared prosperity. Rather than transferring technology or training on the use of existing tools, the Hub strengthens the essential foundations of AI development – data, computing, talent and partnerships – to enable African innovators to create solutions that respond to both local development priorities and global markets,” said Marcos Neto, Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Office for Policy and Programme Support. “Innovation thrives on connection, not isolation,” said Tonee Ndungu, a Kenyan startupper and moderator of the various opening day work sessions. “The AI Hub creates vibrant spaces where diverse perspectives generate scalable solutions, enabling African innovators to build infrastructure on the continent and lead the construction of an AI future in which all can thrive”.
The event highlighted the Hub’s ongoing commitment to accessible and sustainable infrastructures, based on solid data, computing and talent ecosystems. Leaders of start-ups, multinationals and governments have reaffirmed the fundamental role of the Hub in promoting collaborations with high transformative impact on the territory.
Key initiatives and strategic partnerships announced at launch of AI Hub for Sustainable Development
The strategic partnerships presented during the workshop aim to strengthen the capacities of African innovators and infrastructure builders, to ensure that AI can support inclusive economic growth. The objectives have been translated into concrete actions through the following initiatives:
Platform AI Hub with chatbot AskHub: a collaborative space for African innovators, G7 and EU partners and global industry players. The AskHub custom chatbot supports every stage of development, from ideation to scalability, unlocking local AI-powered solutions. Partners: Zindi, AfriLabs, OpenStartup International.
Africa Green Compute Coalition (CAGC): a multi-stakeholder platform to increase access to sustainable and energy-efficient computing infrastructures in Africa. Curated together with Alliance4AI, AXUM, Cineca, Kytabu, it outlines a roadmap for equitable AI infrastructures powered by renewable energies.
Compute Accelerator Program: A six-month program that supports African startups with AI products ready for global scalability. Offers cloud credits, technical mentorship and cross-border partnerships. Among the ten partners: Almawave, Amazon Web Services, Cineca, Elis, Kytabu and others.
AI Infrastructure Builder program: supports infrastructure builders with scalability potential in strategic areas such as data centers, connectivity, energy and hardware. Provides business planning support, promotes partnerships between governments and investors, and provides regulatory guidance. Main partners: Governments of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, African Development Bank, Axum, CDP, Confindustria, EgyptSAND and others.
Microsoft and Domyn have announced a collaboration with the AI Hub: it is a strategic partnership between the two companies, under which Domyn’s language models and applications will be made available to African innovators, both in the public and private sectors. Connect the Hub’s community of innovators to funding and key competencies.
On the same day of the official launch, during the summit “Mattei Plan for Africa and Global Gateway” which took place at Villa Doria Pamphilj, Council President Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced two strategic partnerships to support the AI Hub. A Memorandum of Understanding with the EU Commission and a strategic agreement between Mimit and Microsoft aimed at mobilising significant resources to promote inclusive AI growth in Africa. These collaborations amplify the Hub’s mission to foster digital opportunities and sustainable industrial progress. (Source: Ministero del Made in Italy)
