BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6af6e1128844b DTSTART:20250618T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20250618T093000Z LOCATION:Online and Addis Ababa\, Ethiopia SUMMARY:Webinar on harnessing inclusive artificial intelligence for develop ment in Africa CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:BackgroundFrom artificial intelligence (AI) to green hydrogen a nd nanotechnology\, frontier technologies are rapidly evolving and have th e potential to significantly impact economic development\, sustainability\ , and governance. Among these\, AI - recognized as a general-purpose techn ology - holds a transformative capacity to reshape industries\, create new markets\, and enable effective human-machine interaction.AI presents sign ificant opportunities to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Develo pment Goals (SDGs)\, including powering smart agriculture and energy grids \, optimizing production and supply chains\, and improving water and city planning. However\, without equitable distribution\, strong ethical oversi ght\, and transparency\, the diffusion of AI risks exacerbating existing i nequalities within and across countries.Developing countries\, including m any in Africa\, face substantial constraints in three critical leverage po ints that have underpinned the rapid progress of AI in recent decades: inf rastructure\, data\, and skills. Gaps such as limited access to reliable e lectricity and high-speed internet\, scarcity of relevant data\, and low l evels of digital literacy hinder the capacity to adopt and tailor AI syste ms for local needs.                          ObjectiveThis w ebinar will bring together key stakeholders from Africa with an interest i n frontier technologies\, especially AI for development\, to discuss and r eflect on how it can be harnessed for inclusive and sustainable developmen t across the continent.The objectives of the webinar are to:Present key fi ndings and insights from the Technology and Innovation Report 2025Facilita te dialogue on how African countries can strategically position themselves to adopt and tailor AI technologies for local context\, addressing key ch allenges and unlocking opportunities for inclusive and sustainable develop mentPromote knowledge-sharing by showcasing successful cases and local inn ovations from across the continentDiscuss policy priorities and governance needs\, including the formulation of national strategies and global coope ration\, to ensure AI is developed and deployed in an ethical\, inclusive\ , and equitable mannerFoster engagement and collaboration among government s\, private sector actors\, civil society\, and international partnersPart icipationGovernment RepresentativesPrivate SectorAcademiaCivil SocietyYout h<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Background<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;p& gt\;From artificial intelligence (AI) to green hydrogen and nanotechnology \, frontier technologies are rapidly evolving and have the potential to si gnificantly impact economic development\, sustainability\, and governance. Among these\, AI - recognized as a general-purpose technology - holds a t ransformative capacity to reshape industries\, create new markets\, and en able effective human-machine interaction.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;AI present s significant opportunities to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)\, including powering smart agriculture and energy grids\, optimizing production and supply chains\, and improving water and city planning. However\, without equitable distribution\, strong ethical oversight\, and transparency\, the diffusion of AI risks exacerbating exis ting inequalities within and across countries.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Devel oping countries\, including many in Africa\, face substantial constraints in three critical leverage points that have underpinned the rapid progress of AI in recent decades: infrastructure\, data\, and skills. Gaps such as limited access to reliable electricity and high-speed internet\, scarcity of relevant data\, and low levels of digital literacy hinder the capacity to adopt and tailor AI systems for local needs.&\;nbsp\;&\;nbsp\; & amp\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp \; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\;nbsp\; &\; nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Objective<\;/strong>\;< \;/p>\;<\;p>\;This webinar will bring together key stakeholders from Africa with an interest in frontier technologies\, especially AI for deve lopment\, to discuss and reflect on how it can be harnessed for inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Th e objectives of the webinar are to:<\;/p>\;<\;ol>\;<\;li>\;Pre sent key findings and insights from the <\;strong>\;Technology and Inn ovation Report 2025<\;/strong>\;<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Facilitate di alogue on how African countries can strategically position themselves to a dopt and tailor AI technologies for local context\, addressing key challen ges and unlocking opportunities for inclusive and sustainable development& lt\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Promote knowledge-sharing by showcasing successful cases and local innovations from across the continent<\;/li>\;<\;li >\;Discuss policy priorities and governance needs\, including the formul ation of national strategies and global cooperation\, to ensure AI is deve loped and deployed in an ethical\, inclusive\, and equitable manner<\;/l i>\;<\;li>\;Foster engagement and collaboration among governments\, private sector actors\, civil society\, and international partners<\;/li >\;<\;/ol>\;<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Participation<\;/strong>\ ;<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li>\;Government Representatives<\;/li> \;<\;li>\;Private Sector<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Academia<\;/li>\; <\;li>\;Civil Society<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Youth<\;/li>\;<\;/ ul>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/webinar- harnessing-inclusive-artificial-intelligence-development-africa DTSTAMP:20261113T100610Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR