{"id":23866,"date":"2025-07-11T14:57:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T13:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/?p=23866"},"modified":"2025-07-11T14:57:41","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T13:57:41","slug":"africas-lawmakers-commit-to-strengthening-ai-digital-health-and-smart-manufacturing-frameworks-at-inaugural-africa-digital-parliamentary-summit-in-lusaka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/press-release\/africas-lawmakers-commit-to-strengthening-ai-digital-health-and-smart-manufacturing-frameworks-at-inaugural-africa-digital-parliamentary-summit-in-lusaka\/","title":{"rendered":"Africa\u2019s Lawmakers Commit to Strengthening AI, Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing Frameworks at Inaugural Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit\u00a0in Lusaka"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

11 July 2025, Lusaka:<\/strong> The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the African Population Health Research Center (APHRC), in collaboration with the GSMA, today concluded the first Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit focused on building legislative capacity in Artificial Intelligence (AI), data protection, digital health and smart manufacturing, in a bid to promote evidence-based policy-making for Africa\u2019s digital future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-day Summit, held from 9-11 July in Lusaka, convened over 20 Members of Parliament from the Pan-African Parliament Committees on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology, and Health, Labour and Social Affairs and was opened by the Zambian Minister of Technology and Science, Honourable Felix Mutati. Strategic partners in attendance included AUDA-NEPAD, Africa CDC, ECOSOCC, and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This concluded with the publication of the Lusaka Declaration<\/a> outlining shared priorities and next steps for ensuring Africa\u2019s digital transformation is inclusive, responsible and grounded in evidence-based policy. The Lusaka Declaration recognised the vital role of Members of Parliament in shaping laws and policies that drive the continent\u2019s development. The Digital Parliamentary Summit offered a timely platform to enhance the knowledge and capacity of Parliamentarians on critical aspects of digital transformation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key highlight of the Summit was the consideration and discussion with Parliamentarians on the draft Africa Digital Health<\/em> and Smart Manufacturing<\/em> reports developed by APHRC and the GSMA. Both reports will be submitted to the Plenary of the PAP when Parliamentarians of the 55 member states of the African Union meet in Midrand later this month on the occasion of the 5th<\/sup> Ordinary Session of the 6th<\/sup> Legislature of the Pan-African Parliament.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Honourable Behdja Mokrani, Chairperson of the Pan-African Parliament Committee on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology <\/strong>said \u201cAgainst the backdrop of global economic uncertainties and the accelerating pace of technological disruption, this Summit has highlighted the critical need to equip African legislators with the foresight and capabilities required to navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The capacity-building component of the Summit, along with the presentation of the Africa Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing Reports by APHRC and GSMA, reinforced the importance of African policymakers acquiring the relevant skills to address policy issues related to digital transformation \u2013 particularly in the areas of Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing \u2013 in alignment with the African Union\u2019s Agenda 2063.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anthony Mveyange, Director of Programs, Synergy, African Population Health Research Center <\/strong>adds \u201cAt APHRC, we firmly believe that digital health is a transformative force, holding immense potential for Africa to ‘leapfrog’ traditional development pathways. This Summit powerfully demonstrates how, by leveraging AI alongside advancements in digital health and smart manufacturing, we can accelerate socio-economic progress and foster deeper continental integration, directly aligning with the ambitious goals of the African Union’s Agenda<\/em>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key themes explored during the Summit included: <\/p>\n\n\n\n