The AI Hub for Sustainable Development was officially launched in Rome, bringing together over 500 delegates from 60 countries in a bold move to reshape Africa’s digital future.
Kenyan representatives joined global leaders at the June 20 event, held at the UNDP headquarters, to kickstart partnerships aimed at boosting AI-led growth across the continent.
The hub, initiated by the Italian G7 Presidency in collaboration with UNDP and 14 African countries under the Mattei Plan, focuses on four pillars: data, compute, talent, and partnerships.
The launch saw 25 public-private partnerships announced between African innovators, G7 companies like Amazon and Microsoft, and European institutions.
Kenya’s Ambassador Philip Thigo was appointed to the Executive Steering Group, and Kenya became one of only two African nations tohave a seat at the table. That reflects Kenya’s growing visibility in shaping global AI discourse and cultivating sustainable innovation at home.
“Outdated solutions can’t solve Africa’s challenges,” said Italy’s Minister of Enterprise, Senator Adolfo Urso. “We need bold collaborations that build real infrastructure and support real people.”
The hub will roll out five key programs aimed at Kenyan youth and startups, including:
•AskHub AI Chatbot to support innovators,
•Green Compute Coalition for sustainable cloud infrastructure,
•Compute Accelerator offering mentorship and credits,
•Infrastructure Builder to support new data projects,
•And Strategic Partnerships for global access to funding and training.
Kenyan tech leaders and youth will benefit directly, with access to tools and networks that lower entry barriers in the AI space.
Speaking during the launch , UNDP’s Marcos Neto said, “This is not about importing solutions it’s about empowering African innovators to lead the change.”
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The AI Hub for Sustainable Development is a historic milestone in international cooperation, shared vision of building a fair, equitable, and data-driven future for Africa.
