ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The first session of the G7 ministerial on Industry and Technological Innovation is underway in Rome, focusing on the digital development and the strengthening of value chains with Africa.
The main topics on the agenda for today’s session were the strengthening cooperation between the G7 countries and Africa to increasingly integrate AI into production processes, supporting business initiatives in the continent through the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, in line with the Italian presidency project within the principles of the Mattei Plan.
Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso presided over the proceedings who at the beginning thanked the participants for having contributed to creating “a concrete discussion, anchored in reality, which builds on the conclusions reached in Verona last March and the Leaders’ Declaration, in Borgo Egnazia”.
In recent months, the Italian Presidency of the G7 and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have advanced the project to launch the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, a pioneering initiative that aims to strengthen local ecosystems of Artificial Intelligence in African countries in key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, education, training, water and energy, in line with the “Mattei Plan” developed by the Italian Government.
Among the objectives of the Hub, the promotion of strategic partnerships aimed at stimulating innovation and strengthening local AI ecosystems to create new opportunities for industrial growth, technological progress and social development. “The AI Hub for Sustainable Development is part of the Mattei Plan, a priority of the Italian Government’s foreign policy. With this instrument we want to contribute to the achievement of development objectives, leveraging the private sector and interesting projects for the market”, declared Minister Urso.
The Hub will see the light in 2025, with a headquarters based in Italy and the participation of over 100 entities, including governments, international organizations and technology companies who have already expressed interest.
In addition to the G7 members, the UNDP and ITU organizations, the outreach countries Egypt, India, Kenya, Tunisia and the Netherlands took part in the session. Representatives of 4 African startups identified by Mimit and UNDP as part of the AI Hub activities also took part in the session: Nasrallah Hassan, Co-Founder Birrama (Ethiopia), Tonee Ndungu, CEO Kytabu (Kenya), Marouen Hammami, CTO IrWise (Tunisia) and Karim Beguir, CEO InstaDeep (Tunisia). Furthermore, representatives of some big national and multinational companies participated, presenting a proposed project to be brought together within the Hub: Julien Groues, Vice President of Amazon Web Services, Maximo Ibarra, CEO Engineering, and Farrukh Hussain, Investment Director Sony Group. At the end of the working session, Minister Urso signed a collaboration memorandum on the AI Hub with the UNDP, the International Telecommunications Union and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmondo Cirielli.
– Photo Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).
