Kenya Poised to Lead AI in Africa, Says Amb. Suquet Ahead of AI Summit

French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet has said that Kenya has the potential to take up the leading role in the upcoming France AI Action Summit and more generally poised to lead the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Africa.
“Kenya is arguably one of the leading tech hubs in Africa with a growing and dynamic startup scene, strong private investment, recognised young talent and a favourable business ecosystem,” he said.
“Kenya can also count on its remarkable success in green energy to power AI-related systems and data centres. To this regard, we want to ensure that the voice of Kenya will be heard at the Paris AI Summit.”
Ambassador Suquet, who spoke during the UK-Kenya Africa AI Convening held in Nairobi, affirmed France’s commitment to continue strengthening Franco-Kenyan relations, especially in the field of AI.
He highlighted France’s partnership with Kenya with the recently launched University of Nairobi (UON) Silicon Savannah Innovation Park that was unveiled by President Ruto and French Minister of State for Francophonie and International Partnerships Thani Mohamed Soilihi.
Financed by a €35 million AFD sovereign loan and a €5 million (Sh 4.7 billion in total) in donations from France, the park is designed to be a hub for cutting-edge research and innovation in areas such as AI, green engineering and advanced manufacturing.
The 4.7 billion initiative is one of five planned major projects to transform the university, dubbed the “Big 5.”
“We are very committed and engaged in the Silicon Savannah partnership and political reform of the Big 5. I believe some discussions will happen on the sidelines during the AI Action Summit to push this agenda,” Suquet said.
“We want AI to have the most beneficial impact and help address many of our complex problems, for example, finding new therapies or solving climate-related issues while safeguarding common interests from long-term risks brought about by AI.”
On February 10 and 11, 2025, France is set to host the AI Action Summit gathering together Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organisations, more than 700 small and large companies, academia representatives, NGOs, artists and members of civil society from nearly 100 countries.
As an initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, France decided to build on the momentum generated by the UK and Republic of Korea which organised the previous two summits by offering to host the AI Action Summit in Paris.
India is also set to co-chair this upcoming AI Action Summit.
The summit will include talks on five key tracks; Public Interest AI, the Future of Work, Innovation and Culture, Trust in AI and Global AI Governance.
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