Rwanda Launches AI Policy To Drive Economic Growth

Rwanda has designed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy to drive economic growth, enhance public service delivery, and foster inclusive and sustainable development. The policy was developed through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, the Center of AI Policy and Innovation of Rwanda, the broader tech ecosystem, and GIZ.

The launch of the AI policy marks a crucial moment for Rwanda, as countries around the world are creating necessary frameworks to spur the adoption of technology for improved service delivery to citizens. Some African countries with national AI strategies in place include Mauritius and Egypt.

In a statement, Paula Ingabire, the Rwandan Minister of ICT and Innovation, stated, “The policy represents a significant milestone in the launch and development of Rwanda’s AI ecosystem and is a critical step towards achieving our national development goals. We are positioning ourselves to become the leading destination in Africa for experimenting with and developing trustworthy AI technologies contextualized for the African continent.”

According to Ingabire, Rwanda has adopted an ambitious plan to leverage the power of AI for economic growth, enhanced public service delivery, and inclusive sustainable development. The country’s AI policy focuses on identifying key sectors with the highest economic impact, including agriculture, public administration, education, health, manufacturing, and financial services.

Ingabire mentioned that the government will deploy AI solutions in agriculture by providing early warning systems to farmers with higher weather accuracy predictions, contributing to food security. Additionally, the Rwandan government plans to optimize the routing and scheduling of buses in Kigali through AI in the transport sector, which will reduce fuel costs and commuting time for citizens using public transport.

To achieve its ambitious plan, the Minister emphasized the need to empower the private sector in deploying AI solutions, establish agile regulations, build a critical mass of AI talent, secure necessary funding, promote research and development, and provide accurate data and data computing infrastructure.