Trilateral AI Cooperation Targets Local Empowerment and Inclusive Growth
New Delhi, February 24: A trilateral cooperation agreement on artificial intelligence signed between Italy, India and Kenya at the AI Impact Summit 2026 is set to promote AI-driven development across Africa, with a strong emphasis on local empowerment, sustainability and inclusive innovation, according to a new report.The report by AIBase.ng stated that the initiative is built on co-creation and African-led development. It aims to ensure that artificial intelligence tools reflect the social, economic and cultural contexts of African communities, rather than following externally imposed technology models.
Unlike traditional AI partnerships that often rely on technology transfer from developed nations, the new framework is described as more collaborative in structure and intent.
Focus on Data Sovereignty and African Control Over AI Systems
A key pillar of the agreement is support for data sovereignty. The report highlighted that African nations will retain control over their data and AI systems developed under the initiative.AI solutions under the pact will address priority sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education and financial inclusion. These focus areas are expected to align AI deployment with real development challenges across the continent.
In the short term, the agreement aims to launch 15 pilot AI applications by the end of 2026. Over the longer term, the partners plan to scale the initiative to approximately 100 projects across Africa.
Ethical AI and Infrastructure Support to Drive Innovation
The agreement also underlines ethical and inclusive AI development. By embedding local context into design and deployment, the initiative seeks to reduce the risk of technologies that may not suit African conditions.To support innovation, the partnership will include research networks, computing resources and digital platforms that enable AI experimentation and deployment.
The report noted that the collaboration strengthens Kenya’s position as a regional technology hub and gateway for innovation in Africa. It also stated that India stands to benefit through enhanced South-South cooperation and by showcasing scalable, human-centric digital solutions. Italy, meanwhile, is positioned as a bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa, leveraging initiatives such as the Mattei Plan’s AI Hub for Sustainable Development to facilitate collaboration.
AI Impact Summit 2026 Concludes with New Delhi Declaration
The AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi last week, concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, marking a significant development in global cooperation on artificial intelligence.The Ministry of Electronics and IT said that as of February 21, 2026, a total of 88 countries and international organisations had endorsed the declaration. Since then, Bangladesh, Costa Rica and Guatemala have joined, taking the total number of signatories to 91 countries and organisations.
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