By KPC Reporter
The East African Community (EAC) has formally launched the EAC AI Alliance and its flagship initiative, the Regional Network on Artificial Intelligence in Education and Research.
This, EAC says, marks a decisive step in shaping the region’s digital future.
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The announcement was made during the opening of the 4th EAC Regional Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Conference at the Kigali Convention Centre, which has drawn more than 450 delegates from all eight Partner States.
Convened under the theme “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for a Resilient, Inclusive and Innovative East Africa,” the three-day conference is the first to place Artificial Intelligence at the centre of its agenda.
“The Alliance proposes a shared architecture uniting governments, academia, industry, and development partners under a common regional framework,” said Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, EAC Deputy Secretary General.
“It marks a shift from fragmented efforts to structured, scalable regional action.”
The AI Alliance builds on the success of the dSkills@EA project, which trained more than 4,000 young East Africans and fostered collaboration among 300 private sector partners and 100 universities.
A highlight of the conference was the launch of the Call for Nodes, inviting universities across the region to serve as national hubs within the Regional AI Network.
These institutions will anchor cross-border research ecosystems, strengthen AI education, and promote responsible innovation.
“Artificial Intelligence offers a transformative opportunity to accelerate socio-economic development and enhance regional competitiveness,” said Prof. Idris Rai, Acting Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA).
“Realising this potential requires deliberate coordination among higher education institutions, research bodies, industry and policymakers.”
The Network is envisioned as the foundation for an East African Centre of Excellence in AI, structured around three pillars: advancing cross-border research, integrating inclusive AI curricula, and supporting harmonised, gender-responsive policies.
Speakers emphasised that AI is not a “technology fix” but a tool that must be applied strategically.
“AI will not solve our problems on its own. It depends on how we use it and build the skills to address challenges in the East African Community,” noted Norman Schappel, Digital Transformation Cluster Coordinator at GIZ Rwanda.
The conference also celebrated the AI4EAC Innovation Challenge, which engaged over 3,800 students from 110 universities.
Finalists showcased AI solutions in healthcare diagnostics, crop yield prediction, climate resilience, and financial inclusion, underscoring the region’s growing capacity to create homegrown technologies.
Senior leaders hailed the participation of young innovators as proof that East Africa’s AI ambitions are already being built from the ground up.
