July 11, 2025, Lusaka: The Pan -African Parliament (PAP) and the Health Research Center of the African Population (ABHRC), in collaboration with the GSMA, concluded today the first Digital Parliamentary Summit of Afric Digital future of Africa.
The three -day summit, celebrated from July 9 to 11 in Lusaka, summoned more than 20 members of the Parliament of the Pan -African Parliament on Transportation, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology and Health, Labor and Social Affairs and was opened by the Minister of Technology and Science Zambia, Honorable Felix Mutati. The strategic partners attended included Auda-Nepad, Africa CDC, ECOSOCC and the Review mechanism by African pairs (APRM).
This concluded with the publication of the Prittical Declaration that describes the shared priorities and the next steps to ensure that the digital transformation of Africa is inclusive, responsible and based on evidence -based policy. The Prittical Declaration recognized the vital role of Parliament members in the configuration of laws and policies that promote the development of the continent. The Digital Parliamentary Summit offered a timely platform to improve the knowledge and capacity of parliamentarians in critical aspects of digital transformation.
A leading point of the summit was consideration and discussion with parliamentarians about the draft Digital Health from Africa and Intelligent manufacturing Reports developed by ABHRC and the GSMA. Both reports will be submitted to the PAP plenary when parliamentarians of the 55 Member States of the African Union meet in the middle of the Randa at the end of this month on the occasion of the 5th Ordinary Session of 6th Pan -African Parliament Legislature.
Honorable Behdja Mokrani, president of the Transportation, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology Committee saying “In the context of global economic uncertainties and the accelerated rhythm of technological interruption, this summit has highlighted the critical need to equip African legislators with the forecast and the skills required to navigate the fourth industrial revolution. The SUM Africades of the sum of the Africans of the Africans of the Africans of the Africans of the sum of the Africans of the Africans of the Africans.
Anthony Mveynge, Program Director, Synergia, Health Research Center of the African Population Add “In ABHRC, we firmly believe that digital health is a transformative force, which has an immense potential for Africa 'to jump' traditional development pathways. This summit powerfully demonstrates how, by taking advantage of AI along with the advances in digital health and intelligent manufacturing, we can accelerate socio -economic progress and promote the deepest continental integration, aligning directly with the ambitious objectives of the African Union agenda.. ”
The key themes explored during the summit included:
- The AI digital health potential to accelerate universal health coverage through a better data integration and exchange of cross -border information
- The role of intelligent manufacturing to improve industrial resilience and job creation through automation and IoT
- The need for harmonized frames of data governance led by Africa to guarantee the responsible development of AI and protect privacy and human rights
“AI, digital health and intelligent manufacturing have the potential to transform Africa economies and improve lives, but unlocking that potential requires the appropriate political environment. This summit is an important step to equip legislators with the tools to shape safe, inclusive and ready digital economies for the future” saying Kenechi Okeleke, senior director, regional, social and policy research, GSMA.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advance digital transformation through coordinated reforms, which include:
- Strengthen Stem education and digital literacy among political leaders
- Training of training in ICT in public services development
- Establish intersectoral collaboration between health, trade and ICT sectors
- Creation of enabling conditions for investment in advanced connectivity infrastructure
The draft of the findings presented during the estimate of the summit that the Digital Health Market of Africa could reach $ 6.5 billion by 2030 in an optimistic scenario, highlighting the urgent need for alignment of policies to maximize the impact and boost inclusive growth.
The Summit also established a road map for the continuous commitment between the Pan -African Parliament, the ABHRC and the GSMA, including the establishment of 'evidence to politics' resources units, sustained efforts for the construction of capacity and regional forums to harmonize the legislation on the AI, digital health and data governance in Africa.
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About the Pan -African Parliament
The Pan -African Parliament (PAP), as a continental legislature, serves as a platform for representatives of all African states to participate in discussions and decision making about the challenges of the continent. It is one of the nine organs of the African Union, as provided in article 5 of the Constitutive Law of the AU, adopted on July 11, 2000 in Lomé, Togo. The composition, the powers, the functions and the organization of the PAP are defined in article 2 of the protocol to the treaty established by the African economic community related to the Pan -African Parliament, adopted in Sirte, Libya, on March 2, 2001. The Pan -African Parliament represents all the peoples of Africa and is currently composed of 275 members of Parliament representing 55 countries in Africa.
About the GSMA
GSMA is a global organization that unifies the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and offer fundamental innovation to positive business environments and social change. Our vision is to unlock all the power of connectivity so that people, industry and society prosper. Representing mobile operators and organizations throughout the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA offers its members in three broad pillars: connectivity for good, services and solutions of the industry, and scope. This activity includes the progress policy, addressing today's greatest social challenges, underpinning technology and interoperability that make mobile work and providing the world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem in the MWC and M360 events series.
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