Malawi is helping shape a regional approach to artificial intelligence and digital inclusion as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) seeks policies that can support technological innovation while ensuring the benefits reach underserved communities.
COMESA recently concluded a four-day stakeholder consultation in Lilongwe, bringing together government officials, private-sector representatives, technology experts, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to discuss how countries in the regional bloc can coordinate their response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
The consultations are being conducted under the Inclusive Digital Economy and Artificial Intelligence (IDEA) Programme, which aims to support the development of practical policies, regulatory frameworks and action plans to guide the responsible adoption of emerging technologies.
The discussions come as governments across Africa accelerate efforts to expand digital economies, improve access to technology and develop rules for artificial intelligence, while facing challenges including limited digital infrastructure, unequal access to connectivity, skills shortages and concerns over data protection.
For COMESA, the consultations provide an opportunity to develop regional approaches that reflect the needs and realities of member states rather than relying solely on technology frameworks developed outside the continent.
Building a regional AI framework
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being applied across sectors including agriculture, healthcare, financial services, education, manufacturing and public administration.
But the rapid expansion of AI has also raised concerns over privacy, cybersecurity, employment, misinformation, algorithmic bias and unequal access to the technologies and infrastructure required to use them.
Stakeholders in Lilongwe discussed how policy and regulatory frameworks can address these risks while creating an environment that allows businesses, governments and innovators to experiment with and deploy AI solutions.
The objective is to establish practical approaches that can be translated into national policies and coordinated at the regional level.
Such coordination could help COMESA member states address cross-border issues involving data, digital services, cybersecurity and emerging technologies, while reducing regulatory fragmentation that could make it harder for companies to operate across markets.
Digital inclusion at the centre
The consultations also placed digital inclusion at the centre of the regional agenda.
Across much of Africa, access to smartphones, affordable internet, digital financial services and other technologies has expanded, but significant gaps remain between urban and rural communities and between people with different income and education levels.
Women, young people, persons with disabilities and communities in remote areas can face additional barriers to digital access and skills.
Stakeholders therefore stressed the need for policies that go beyond expanding connectivity to ensure people have the skills, affordability and tools required to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
For Malawi, which has been working to expand digital transformation and improve access to technology, participation in the COMESA process provides an avenue to contribute national experiences to a broader regional policy framework.
From policy to implementation
A key challenge for governments will be translating broad AI principles into policies that can be implemented effectively.
The IDEA Programme consultations are intended to help stakeholders develop concrete policy recommendations, regulatory measures and action plans that can guide implementation.
This includes considering how governments can encourage innovation while establishing safeguards around the collection and use of data, automated decision-making and the deployment of AI systems.
It also requires investment in digital infrastructure and human capital, as countries will need a workforce capable of developing, managing and critically evaluating AI technologies.
The consultations could therefore have implications beyond technology policy, linking AI adoption to broader development priorities such as employment, education, public services and economic growth.
Regional cooperation
COMESA’s regional approach reflects growing recognition that digital transformation increasingly crosses national borders.
Digital platforms, cloud services, online payments and data flows operate across jurisdictions, making cooperation on standards and regulation increasingly important.
A coordinated regional framework could help member states strengthen their digital economies while creating greater certainty for businesses and investors operating across COMESA markets.
It could also provide countries with a stronger collective voice in international discussions over AI governance, particularly as governments and technology companies debate how artificial intelligence should be regulated and developed.
The Lilongwe consultations are expected to contribute to this broader process by ensuring that policy development incorporates perspectives from governments, businesses, civil society and other users of digital technologies.
For Africa, the stakes are significant. AI could help improve productivity, expand access to services and support new businesses, but without deliberate measures to address affordability, infrastructure and skills gaps, the technology could deepen existing inequalities.
COMESA’s work therefore faces a dual challenge: creating an environment that allows innovation to flourish while ensuring that technological progress translates into wider economic and social benefits.
The outcome of the consultations will feed into efforts to strengthen regional approaches to AI and digital inclusion under the IDEA Programme, with stakeholders looking to move from policy discussions towards practical measures that can be implemented across the bloc.
As African economies become increasingly digital, the ability of regional institutions such as COMESA to coordinate policies could prove critical in determining whether AI becomes a driver of inclusive development or another source of inequality.
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