Former President of Mauritius Island, Ameenah Gurib Fakim and Veteran Journalist Eric Chinje, have called on young people in Africa to get fully involved in the development of Artificial Intelligence and benefit from its advantages.
The duo made the call in keynote addresses to the youths. This was during the ICT for Africa Conference that took place in Yaounde.
Highlighting the indispensable role of digitalisation in the growth and development of the continent, President Emeritus Ameenah Gurib Fakim underscored that it provides numerous opportunities for the growth and development of every society. He said the gains are great particularly when the youths form an integral part of its development. She said: “As Youths of Africa you have to push forward into digitalisation, attend seminars, create start-ups and knock at the door of opportunities. Think of what you can do in tourism, and governance because with technology the field is wide, the opportunities are enormous and the sky is your limit”.
Former President Ameenah Gurib Fakim also urged women to seize the opportunity and develop their countries through the development of the sector. She said:” Young people can get involved in innovations and contribute to the growth of the sector. Drawing youths and women into the sector can address the challenges the country faces”.
Enter Eric Chinje
For Veteran journalist, Eric Chinje, Artificial Intelligence remains a major factor for the evolution of society. In a community where AI is fast becoming the order of the day, Eric Chinje said, “it is important for the youths to seize the opportunity and create their own impact in society.
According to Chinje, “if we are going to transform our society we must figure out how effectively we can use Artificial Intelligence to foster development. For example in the media sector, we can strategize on how we can use these instruments to bring a significant change in our society. Artificial Intelligence is inevitable because as you analyse life on earth today you will see that AI is already creeping into every aspect of our life we have to make the most of it and develop our communities.”
Guests On Funding
With regards to funding that remains a major challenge in making Start-ups grow, the duo called on the governments to create an enabling environment. This, they said can be done by bridging the gap between genders, and build infrastructures that will present an opportunity for the youths to grow.
They also propose youth participation by opening avenues for them to get access to funds and develop their start-ups for the good of the entire continent. Former President Ameenah Gurib Fakim said: “It is incumbent for the government to create an enabling environment for the adoption and growth of these technologies in the country. They have to continue playing that indispensable role of funding for the development of ICT that will contribute an integral part in the development of Cameroon”.
They also encouraged young minds to come up with innovations that will attract funding. This, they said, should not only come from the government but from other stakeholders who can fill the gap by funding their start-ups and presenting them a better opportunity to grow.
The keynote speakers ended their address by calling on the youths to hold firmly the mantle of command and create their impact for they are both the leaders of today and tomorrow.
The ICT for Africa conference wrapped up on Friday in Yaoundé. So far the platform has lived up to expectations. It provided an environment for the youths to learn and grow. It has seen the passage of several greats in the field of technology and digitalisation who are contributing to youth empowerment in the sector.
It is an initiative of the ICT University of Cameroon which is contributing greatly to Cameroon’s digital transformation.
