Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Sid Ali Zerrouki, participated in the inaugural meeting of the African Artificial Intelligence (AI) Council, operating under the Smart Africa alliance, via video conference.
According to a statement from the Ministry, this participation stems from his appointment as a member of this high-level continental council, which comprises ministers and experts from across the African continent.
The meeting provided a platform to present and discuss the roadmap for activating the African AI Council, as well as mechanisms for implementing the African AI strategy. The aim is to accelerate the adoption of these technologies at the continental level, adopting a responsible, inclusive, and sovereign approach that serves the interests of the African people.
The council’s annual meeting schedule was also addressed, key milestones were identified, and the establishment of specialized technical working groups was discussed, the statement added.
During his participation, Minister Zerrouki affirmed Algeria’s commitment to actively contribute to the formulation of policies, strategic frameworks, and regulations related to AI governance and digital infrastructure. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with sister African countries in the fields of innovation, capacity building, and human capital development.
It is worth noting that this appointment was among 226 prominent figures, including 54 ministers. The council consists of only 15 members, distributed as follows: five ministers, six experts in the field, and four co-chairs (two ministers and two experts), who will be elected on March 1st on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The members of the council were selected by a tripartite committee consisting of the International Telecommunication Union, the African Union, and the Smart Africa alliance.
