Tag: Research

Harness China-Africa Collaboration on Artificial Intelligence

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Ernest Jovan Talwana

Current economic estimations project the value of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry globally to reach $16 trillion by 2030. It is also approximated that AI, if well harnessed, could grow Africa’s economy by an additional $1.5 trillion. Given that as of June 2024, the estimated nominal GDP of Africa is $3.1 trillion, a 1.5 addition would go a long way in improving our economic standing.

That said, it brings me great sadness to often discuss Africa along the lines of “seeking help” or as diplomatically coined, “partnering” with developed countries to pursue the continent’s development goals. But given our several immense development challenges, and the nature of the world’s current scientific and technological areas of innovation, partnerships seem to be the most realistic means available.

Even then, we should evaluate our continent’s contribution to this new frontier of technological possibilities, which will dramatically alter the course of all human endeavour.

When discussing strategic partnerships for Africa, the competition between the West (United States) and China unpreventably shows up. It is not Africa’s making to be in such a position. Still, it is our call to always choose wisely which partners we embrace to negotiate our development journey, particularly in line with AI development and implementation on the continent.

Several American tech giants have already implemented AI-driven projects in Africa. For instance, IBM has set up research labs in Kenya and South Africa directed towards healthcare diagnostics, precision agriculture, and financial services. Google opened an AI research center in Ghana where among other projects they develop and apply natural language processing (NLP) technologies to understand, interpret, and generate human language specific to Africa’s linguistic diversity. Cisco, which has a center in Nigeria, also initiated AI training programs to develop smart city solutions using AI technologies.

However, the West’s investments in Africa usually do not give African countries the confidence required for long-term, sustainable reliance. Even the countries of choice for these investments already show a bias in investment destinations for American capital. It will be hard for Africa to transform if our leadership systems are under constant questioning and screening for legitimacy – which risks cutting the taps of investment cooperation whenever a country’s democratic credentials don’t appeal to our Western partners’ standards. This is why I have limited faith in these ambitious AI projects by the West in those few African countries.

On the other hand, during this year’s China-Africa internet summit, China and Africa enthusiastically discussed collaboration on AI. Following the event, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released a statement on China-Africa artificial intelligence cooperation calling for: strengthening of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms on AI policy, technology, industry, application, governance, and best practices; promoting technological research, development, and application within Chinese and African enterprises, universities, and scientific research institutions, in fields such as big data analysis, machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision; promoting industrial cooperation, development, and application of AI in, among others, agriculture, medical care, education, and urban management, as well as supporting digital infrastructure; carrying out talent exchange and capacity building, including the provision of online courses and professional training; and building strong network and data security barriers, including the development of auditable, supervised, traceable, and trustworthy AI technologies, as well as preventing abuse of AI and cyberattacks. These are very inspiring areas of collaboration for Africa, where development in AI is still nascent.

The disappointing bit is that whereas China already articulated such a brilliant memo on AI cooperation with Africa, neither a single African country nor the African Union has designed a similar policy. It is an unpromising sign. China has published its policy on how to cooperate with us on AI, but we don’t have a policy on how we shall cooperate with it. Why should we be docile partners on matters involving our development interests and ultimate survival? Are we always going to sleepwalk through history?

It is not hard to realise that the integration of AI in Africa will potentially impact diverse sectors as already highlighted. Why is it that only a handful of countries such as Egypt, Rwanda and Mauritius have adopted national AI strategies? What is Uganda’s AI strategy for instance?

Our governments should develop these strategies if we are to enable African innovators to leverage Chinese expertise in developing AI-driven solutions for our development challenges. China is the world’s leading AI innovator with 61.1% of globally registered AI patents while the U.S. accounts for only 20%. Why are we not utilising our partnership with a forerunner like China to participate in the happening AI revolution?

The author is a research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

Africa-China Cooperation: Dar-Es-salaam Consensus is Right Step to Building a Community of Shared Future

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By George Musiime

While describing China-Africa cooperation, Chinese officials have always argued that there are two fundamental thrust forces  to the thriving cooperation between China and Africa. The two are;  one, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and two, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The FOCAC, is also the flagship vehicle for people to people exchanges between Africa and China. China’s emphasis on people to people connections is premised in an understanding that, Amity between people is the bedrock of state-to-state cooperation which one can argue is the foundation of win-win cooperation China emphasises.

It is therefore no wonder that China has been standing at the forefront of putting people to people connection first in all its diplomatic undertakings. In line with this commitment to promote people to people connections, China and Africa have held sub forums of the FOCAC including the China-Africa peace and security forum, people forum, poverty reduction and development forum, young leaders’ forum, Think Tanks Forum, the ministerial forum on China-Africa health Cooperation, forum on China-Africa local government Cooperation and the FOCAC legal forum.

In effort to advance this agenda, in collaboration with Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, Jinhua Municipal People’s Government, Zhejiang Normal University and University of Dar es Salaam organised the thirteenth edition of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum (CATTF) which was held in Dar-Es-salaam under the theme; “China-Africa Practice: Building a Community with a Shared Future.”  The During  his key note address at the opening of the forum, Mr. James Mdoe the Permanent Secretary in Tanzania’s ministry of education pointed out that the goal of the forum was to  focus on exploring China-Africa cooperation mechanisms, strategic initiatives, and practical actions in the fields of industrialisation, agricultural modernisation, and human resources training. Moreover,  the Deputy Vice chancellor University of Dar-Es-salaam made a call for increased  Cooperation especially in the area of research across a diversity of fields adding that this would set Africa on a fast track to modernisation.

The CATTF brought together more than 300 members from the Academia, Think Tanks, as well as government officials from both China and at least 49 African countries with the objective of discussing China-Africa relations in the broader global context. The thirteenth edition of the forum came up in a unified China-African voice on numerous geopolitical matters afflicting the world but most prominently Africa today in what has been termed as the “Africa-China Dar-Es-salaam Consensus.” This document was the brainchild of African and Chinese experts in which they shared insights on how to address not just the many  geopolitical challenges facing the world today but also injustices that have been suffered by Africa in the corridors of international relations.

Among other things, the forum called on the world to deepen development cooperation explaining that,  such cooperation to be beneficial to all especially the developing world, it must be built on mutual understanding, solidarity, with the goal of shared prosperity in mind.  Additionally, the consensus further made a call to all countries to endeavour to build and uphold a people centered approach to development. Ideally, “a people centered approach to development” is one that priorities the needs, aspirations and wellbeing of people and communities throughout the entire process of development. Such an approach must believe in ensuring that development initiatives are responsive to the concerns, values and priorities of the people and beneficiary communities. The spirit of the consensus is that only through fostering participatory development processes are we able to achieve meaningful and equitable development outcomes.  This is exactly what Africa and the rest of the global south needs; the creation of a sound institutional environment that will enable all citizens of the world to work towards a better life unimpeded.

In light of responding to the tumultuous global security landscape, the consensus urged the world to promote dialogue over conflicts. China for example has been a strong voice for negotiated solution to two of today’s major conflicts because of the understanding that the price of conflict is way to high for us to pay. In fact, the more we fan conflicts, whether it is by providing armaments for the warring parties or frustrating attempts at dialogue we are practically turning people on both sides of the conflict into Canon fodder and this can never be the blueprint for building a prosperous world.  Such is the background of the Dar-Es-salaam Consensus’s  call for dialogue over conflict. Moreover, building on the understanding that globalisation must coexist in the same space with diversity,  the consensus also called for the respect of everyone’s culture, history, and traditions.  Even in a global village, people must be allowed to live and practice their culture. It is attempts to overrun or water down the culture, history and identity of people that has in some instances resulted into resistance and eventually some of the world’s bloodiest  conflicts. In fact this call is more in alignment with multilateralism over hegemony as a path to  global peace and harmony.

Furthermore, the imposition of a prearranged pathway to modernisation was referenced as a major challenge that the south has struggled with for decades because what has worked for one country may not necessarily work for the next. Thus in response to this divergence between development aspirations and strategies, the Dar-Es-salaam Consensus called for giving countries a chance to pursue their own path to modernisation. These are paths that take into account their culture, history,  traditions, and are tailored to their unique development needs. Accordingly, the Dar-Es-salaam consensus called for strengthening global economic governance and pushed for reforms in the global financial systems in order to create an environment where all nations of the world big or small, developed or developing will be able to thrive and to reach the universal goal of shared prosperity.

The output of the 13th CATTF therefore is a document that seeks redress or at least limit the chance that Africa will suffer the same injustices that the continent has suffered over and over again in the space of International Relations. The Dar-Es-salaam  Consensus is the tool that has been used to communicate this position and  call the rest of the world to cease trying to take advantage of Africa in order to build sustainable development bonds with Africa and the global south.

George Musiime is a Research Fellow at The Development Watch Centre.

A New Era in China- Africa Relations: What’s in it for Uganda?

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Moshi Israel

Yesterday, on the 27th of this month, Sino-Uganda Research Center (SURC), the lead Think Tank on China-Uganda relations, and Development Watch Center, Uganda’s leading Think Tank on foreign policy analysis hosted a symposium at fairway hotel in Kampala. The theme of the symposium was to have an in-depth look at a new era of China-Africa relations and what Uganda in particular could gain from it.

Several experts, dignitaries, members of the media fraternity, and Politicians from Uganda and China attended the symposium. The Guest of Honour was Her Excellency the Vice President of Uganda, Jessica Alupo, represented by the Right Honourable Rebecca Kadaga the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs. H.E. the ambassador of China to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong also graced the event with his presence. Also, delegates from major Chinese companies in Uganda such as CNOOC, Sinohydro, and China Communications Construction Company were present and were given the opportunity to discuss their work and challenges in Uganda.

In her speech, the chief guest acknowledged the vital role of think tanks in guiding policy formulation and implementation and recognized the key role SURC could play in making this a reality in Uganda. She pointed to the importance of independence in research exhibited by the research centre and noted its importance for the benefit of Uganda, China, and the world.  Furthermore, her speech emphasised the need to discuss China-Uganda relations candidly. In one of her key points, the guest of honor pointed to the need for Africans, in general, to control the narrative of cooperation with China without leaving room for distortions from cynics. This is an important point because for the most part relations between China and Africa are distorted by Western media and often painted in a negative light. Therefore, think tanks have an urgent role of setting the record straight through unbiased research that seeks to find the truth. The new era of China-Africa relations should be one in which the two parties control the narrative and avoid the use of Western frames to approach and debate issues.

The speech also, called upon governments in Africa and Uganda in particular to engage more with think tanks in setting national agendas. For the SURC to be the only think tank in the whole country to study and drive debate on the relationship between Uganda and one of her biggest trade partners shows that there is a gap between academia and government that needs to be covered. The chief guest was jubilant in pointing out the milestones China and Uganda have achieved since the bilateral talks in Beijing on 25th June 2019, between Presidents Xi and Museveni where they agreed to lift the two country’s relations to a comprehensive cooperative partnership. This set the stage for the betterment of China and Uganda relations which have hit a peak in recent years.

The vice president appreciated the fact that China does not seek to interfere in Uganda’s internal matters and assured the Chinese that Uganda is open and safe for China. She hinted at the fact that Uganda as a developing country has a lot to learn from China. The vice president understands that whereas China achieved modernization and poverty alleviation through adhering to the principles of a socialist economy with Chinese characteristics, Uganda as well as Africa can create a development path with Ugandan and African characteristics.

Another important area that Her Excellency touched on was trade and investment. Uganda’s trade with China keeps growing and bilateral trade between the two states grew by 28.8% in the first quarter of this year. However, Uganda’s market in China is still low and has room for improvement as long as “Ugandan farmers produce high-quality products with value addition.” In a world facing a resurgence of nationalism that has left more countries hostile to anything foreign; for example, the countries that engaged in vaccine nationalism, the Vice president through her representative the Right Hon, Rebecca Kadaga thanked China for standing with Africa in supplying free vaccinations in a show of true friendship and win-win partnership.

H.E. the Ambassador, Zhang Lizhong also addressed the symposium and strongly condemned all efforts to undermine the relationship between China and Africa. He commented on the various projects that Chinese companies have accomplished and are on the verge of completing with Uganda. The ambassador also lauded his tours around Uganda and his most recent visits to western Uganda. Uganda has great tourist potential and beautiful scenery which the ambassador noted could play a significant role in Uganda’s economic development. The ambassador noted that China has extended a tax-free incentive to Ugandan exports. Furthermore, China will continue to expand its assistance to Uganda in the health sector, infrastructure, energy sector, Agriculture, and all other potential areas of cooperation.

The ambassador shared his perspectives on the role of government strategic planning in China that led to the elimination of absolute poverty and the modernization of China. The emphasis was also placed on China’s development path which seeks to cooperate with the rest of the world through the concept of mutual benefit. Projects such as the Belt and Road are landmarks of China’s commitment to the development of African nations. He noted that the CPC (Communist Party of China) will always champion international cooperation instead of confrontation and that China-Africa, and in particular China-Uganda relations can only go higher in this new era.

The symposium also held a panel discussion where Ugandan experts and delegates from Sinohydro, CNOOC, and other Chinese companies shared thoughts on China’s projects in Uganda, challenges, and potential solutions. The representative from CNOOC shared the progress of the Tilenga oil project at King Fisher in Hoima. CNOOC has been instrumental in improving the lives of people in local communities surrounding the project and all Ugandans generally. CNOOC has employed thousands of local workers in both skilled and unskilled, provided scholarships for numerous Ugandan engineers who have subsequently been employed by the company, and just recently CNOOC has announced another round of scholarships for talented students. The company has built health centers in the local areas of Kikuube and eased access to water by constructing the Buhuka Gravity Scheme that supplies safe and clean water to over 1300 local residents. CNOOC has also engaged in environmental protection in collaboration with the National Forestry Authority by aiding and providing tools to ease law enforcement in the Bugoma forest reserve. This also aims to reduce the negative impacts of climate change in the Albertine region.

The symposium has been a milestone and is a potential trendsetter in the think tank domain within Uganda. Through the activities of SURC and Development Watch Center, the debate for a better, more knowledgeable, and progressive Uganda has been given a vital push forward. The Executive Director and founder of both think tanks, Dr, Allawi Ssemmanda noted that it is high time think tanks got the recognition they so deserve in Uganda as stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation. He emphasized that think tanks and academicians can play a crucial role in propelling a country like Uganda forward by leading the debate on issues that matter by analyzing and providing a nuanced understanding of complex global and domestic issues for all citizens.

Moshi Israel is a Researcher with Development Watch Center.