The African Union has opened its sixth ordinary session on communication and ICT, placing Africa’s digital sovereignty, inclusion and voice at the centre of talks in Libreville, Gabon.
A continental policy meeting
The four-day session of the AU Specialised Technical Committee on Communication and ICT began on 26 October and runs until 29 October. It brings together ministers responsible for ICT, communications and postal services from AU member states, alongside regional bodies, AU institutions and international partners.
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The experts’ segment is scheduled for 26–28 October, followed by a ministerial meeting on 29 October. The AU says the gathering is intended to elect a new committee bureau and assess progress on decisions made at the fifth ordinary session in Addis Ababa in November 2023, as well as an extraordinary virtual session in June 2024.
AI, data and digital identity on the agenda
Under the theme Africa’s Digital Future, Africa’s Voice, delegates are considering the mid-term implementation of the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa 2020–2030.
Key agenda items include the Continental AI Strategy, data governance, interoperable digital identity systems, cybersecurity and personal-data protection, digital and data infrastructure, and cross-border data flows. The meeting is also reviewing draft frameworks on AI governance and regulation, digital public infrastructure, open data, digital inclusion and media literacy.
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The AU expects the session to produce a ministerial declaration with recommendations arising from the strategies, reports and action plans considered in Libreville.
Why it matters
The decisions under discussion could shape how African countries build and regulate the digital systems increasingly used for public services, trade, communications and economic participation.
For Black communities across the continent and diaspora, the stakes extend beyond technology policy. Rules on data, artificial intelligence and digital identification will influence who controls African data, whether local innovators can compete, and how citizens’ rights and personal information are protected in an expanding digital economy.
The emphasis on youth, women and digital inclusion also matters in a continent where unequal access to affordable connectivity, skills and devices can deepen existing social and economic divides.
Building Africa’s voice
The committee is also examining Africa’s engagement in global digital governance processes, including international discussions on AI, internet governance and cyber capacity. The AU says the session will consider ways to strengthen the policy and institutional foundations for an integrated digital Africa while advancing a stronger continental narrative.
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That focus reflects a wider push for African states to arrive at global technology negotiations with coordinated positions rather than reacting to standards and rules written elsewhere.