Africa Tech Forum begins in Kigali
Africa Tech Forum 2024 begins today in Kigali.
This is the second annual forum organized by Eventhive, a West African event services company supporting African businesses. It brings together industry experts, firms, start-ups, and officials to showcase products, explore market opportunities, and discuss Africa’s digital future, including AI, fintech, e-commerce, and cryptocurrency.
The forum highlights Africa’s push for tech independence amid the ongoing US-China influence battle in the region. While partnering with global powers like the US or China can accelerate development, it also risks long-term tech dependency. The Biden Administration has focused on strengthening AI initiatives in strategic partner countries like Kenya and South Africa. Whilst in September, China pledged $50b for green tech and energy at the forum on China-Africa Cooperation and promised to create 1 million jobs across Africa.
While tech independence will remain a popular topic in the coming years, expect African governments to prioritize US and Chinese partnerships over homegrown initiatives. China, with its large investment pledges and broader outreach compared to the US, may be best positioned. However, its growing trade imbalance could risk the sustainability of these commitments. In the long term, diverging tech alignments among African nations, exacerbated by the US-China trade war, risk further fragmenting the continent’s digital ecosystem, undermining inter-African trade and aspirations for tech independence.
