Disruptive Technologies: Impact and Leadership from Africa

We are currently at the center of a great technological revolution that is evolving fast in all fields, including AI, quantum computing, and astronomy. The private sector, with large resources, is developing at an unprecedented paste the next generation of disruptive technologies. In parallel, nations around the world and organizations are still looking into how to approach this technological shift with a local perspective, with limited international inclusion, solidarity and collaborations.

There are huge opportunities for the leadership in Africa, and for African nations to stay ahead in this transition by supporting and promoting its experts and research centers and developing policies adapted to the Countries and continent’s realities. Learning from developed countries, the overall goal is to utilize disruptive technologies to develop novel innovations, and impact industrial growth that leads to the social economic development of Africa.

The panel will discuss how these technological advances will change existing innovation landscape to accelerate businesses and markets in different fields of global and African perspectives for the next step. For instance, how will south-south and south-north collaboration unfold?

Panelists:

• Eugene Mutimura: Executive Secretary National Council for Science and Technology – Rwanda

• Kevin Govender: Director, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Office of Astronomy for Development – South Africa

• Prince Koree Osei: Centre President AIMS Ghana and Lead Scientist and Director of Quantum Leap Africa (QLA) – Ghana

• Chomora Mikeka: Director of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Education – Malawi

• Nevine Makram: Director of Social and Cultural Planning Center and Head of Digital Transformation Committee - Egypt