At a time when machines are learning to think faster than men, Geneva has become, over the last two days, the scene of an unprecedented diplomatic standoff around artificial intelligence. It is in this global arena that the Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation, Djibril Ouattara, arrived at the head of a delegation including the Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire, the President of the Regulatory Council and the Director General of ARTCI. Representing the President of the Republic, H.E Alassane Ouattara, the Minister delivered a statement on the theme “Harnessing the benefits of AI for all through inclusive and interoperable approaches”. 

He advocated for global governance based on four pillars, the inclusion of developing countries, trust through transparency and cybersecurity, interoperability of systems, and cooperative digital sovereignty. “For Ivory Coast, the answer is clear. AI should not be the privilege of a few economies or platforms. It must be a lever for shared and ethical progress,” he declared. A highlight of his intervention, the Minister launched a call for regional cooperation, proposing the creation of an African Regional School of Artificial Intelligence intended to train the continent's talents. This forum, created by the UN General Assembly, brings together governments, the private sector and civil society to build a second edition planned for New York in 2027.

By welcoming the adoption of the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, Abidjan confirms its ambition to make AI a tool of sovereignty and social inclusion, rather than a factor of exclusion for Africa.