Taking A Glance of CIPESA’S Workshop in Windhoek, Namibia; from 23rd to 24th April 2025
Written by : Mawazo Mataje, Program Technical Advisor.
As AI takes a new shape and scope across Africa and the globe, Collaboration on International ICT Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa (CIPESA), has organized a two days regional training on AI trends and regulations in Africa. The training kicked off in Windhoek, Namibia from 23rd to 24th April 2025. With journalists, human rights defenders, policy makers, academicians and civil society organizations from more than 15 countries across Africa participating, the training aims to build knowledge, share country case studies/experiences and understanding of generative AI and other algorithm-based technologies to safeguard human rights and promote innovation.
Day One: First Day from Windhoek, Namibia.
The training comes amid concerns of shrinking digital civic spaces, misinformation, disinformation and other forms of practices that are detrimental in digital spaces. While AI is in the trajectory of utilization across various sectors, questions have been posed around AI governance particularly on policies and strategies, hence exacerbating concerns on ethical deployment, privacy, algorithm bias, workforce disruptions, transparency and access to information.
Under the auspices of CIPESA, Digital Agenda for Tanzania Initiative (DA4TI) is participating in the training, represented by our Technical Program Advisor, Mr. Mawazo Mataje who, among other things, is expected to share experiences of AI’s trends and regulations from Tanzania. DA4TI harnesses one of its values on collaboration and teamwork to ensure AI trends and regulations become collective efforts not only in Tanzania but also across Africa and the globe.
In the first day of the training session, several key issues surfaced, particularly relating to readiness of African countries to establish AI policies/strategies, evolution of AI across Africa and the globe, regulations versus innovations, how AI can/can not replace accountability of individuals/entities, the role of journalists in AI awareness and the impact of AI in data governance.
Day Two: Final Day from Windhoek, Namibia.
Building from day one of the AI workshop in Windhoek, day two focused on AI generated dis/miss-information, AI gender based violence, case studies from several African countries and group work reflections. Under the auspices of CIPESA, Digital Agenda for Tanzania Initiative (DA4TI) shared its experiences and lessons from Tanzania. Primarily, day two was dedicated to identification of key AI challenges in the African context, strategies to overcome such challenges and opportunities arising from AI technologies. The general feeling and consensus was that AI has been used and embedded in many places within different sectors in African countries even though it is neither mentioned directly as AI nor without policies in place. Few countries have managed to develop AI policies in Africa like Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal; just to mention the few. However, absence of AI policies in many other African countries including Tanzania, does not obscure them from benefits and effects of the technology.
Some of the key takeaways emerged from the group work and discussion included but not limited to; ethical use of AI, AI is not the primary source of disinformation/miss-information but the motives behind the person, the need for education awareness on AI tools and its implications and how to fund AI start-ups innovators in Africa.
AI is among the key strategic priorities for DA4TI and this workshop has provided a stepping stone towards more advocacy initiatives in Tanzania. Our organization strives to invest its resources in advocating for AI research and policy advocacy, localization of AI technologies through user friendly models for community based projects and enhancing education awareness through STEM programs for the young generation.
