Ethiopia Prioritizes Digital Sovereignty and AI Development

The State Minister of Innovation and Technology stated that African nations must prioritize digital sovereignty by developing independent AI systems, algorithms, and computing infrastructure. He emphasized that digital sovereignty is critical in the modern era, warning that relying on external platforms makes nations vulnerable to disinformation and risks to economic stability. Ethiopia is advancing this vision through the Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy, which includes the Fayda digital ID system and the establishment of the Medemer Artificial Intelligence University. The Minister highlighted the need for domestic data centers to store national data, projecting that Ethiopia's data needs will reach 600 petabytes by 2030. Furthermore, he urged political parties to act ethically regarding AI, specifically warning against the use of deepfakes and disinformation to influence elections.