Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 4 September 2026 – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) today opened a two-day Stakeholder Consultation Workshop to develop a Regional Artificial Intelligence Framework and Strategy. The workshop brings together policymakers, technical experts, academics, private-sector representatives and development partners from across the IGAD region.
The consultation marks a decisive step towards ensuring that the region does not remain a passive observer of the global digital revolution but actively shapes how artificial intelligence is applied to advance sustainable development and regional integration.
In his keynote address, IGAD Executive Secretary, H.E. Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, underscored that AI is rapidly transforming economies, governance and human potential worldwide.
“The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will transform our region, but how we harness it to accelerate development, uplift our communities and secure our collective future. By pooling our resources, sharing knowledge and harmonising our policies, we can make AI a powerful instrument for a more connected, resilient and prosperous IGAD region,” said Dr Workneh.
The Executive Secretary stressed that the Regional AI Framework and Strategy must reflect the distinct realities, traditions and aspirations of IGAD Member States while aligning with the United Nations Global Digital Compact and the African Union Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
He highlighted AI’s transformative potential across agriculture, climate resilience, health, education and regional economic integration. From pastoral rangelands to the agricultural heartlands of the Nile Basin, AI can strengthen food security, improve climate modelling, enhance early warning systems for droughts and floods, and expand access to quality healthcare through AI-driven diagnostics.
Dr Workneh also emphasised the role of AI in accelerating regional economic integration by enabling virtual connectivity that transcends geographical boundaries and advances IGAD’s mandate of deeper cooperation among its Member States.
The Executive Secretary placed strong emphasis on data sovereignty and accountability, calling on Member States to ensure that regional data is securely governed and used to advance their own development priorities. He further called for robust regulatory frameworks at national, regional and continental levels.
He cautioned that progress without principles could be hazardous, stressing that the strategy must address ethics, privacy and security while strengthening regional ownership and public confidence in AI systems.
Ethiopia’s Director for IGAD Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ketema Haile, reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to advancing a secure, inclusive and human-centred AI agenda for the region.
He noted that Ethiopia’s ongoing digital transformation initiatives and its newly established Artificial Intelligence University are expected to benefit IGAD Member States and the wider African continent. He encouraged participants to share experiences, identify common priorities and develop concrete recommendations for a practical and forward-looking regional strategy.
The workshop will review the findings of an AI Readiness and Ecosystem Assessment, validate national contexts, and gather country-specific inputs on strategic priorities, governance arrangements, implementation approaches and regional collaboration mechanisms.
Participants will also examine existing national, regional and continental AI initiatives to promote harmonisation, avoid duplication, and identify capacity-building, investment and partnership opportunities to support the implementation of the final framework.
Dr Workneh called on delegates to approach the deliberations with bold vision and analytical rigour, emphasising that the strategy is not merely an IGAD Secretariat initiative but a regional imperative to be shaped by and for Member States and their people.
The consultation runs from 4 to 5 September 2026 in Addis Ababa. It is supported through the Food Systems Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa and is expected to produce a draft framework to guide Member States in leveraging AI for digital transformation, innovation and sustainable socioeconomic development.
Media Contact
Austine Opata
Head of Communications, IGAD
Email: austine.opata@igad.int
Website: www.igad.int
