AfDB powers AI revolution to fast-track Africa’s Agenda 2063 goals

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched fresh backing for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) training drive designed to supercharge the delivery of Africa’s long-term development vision, Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

Through its Joint Secretariat Support Office, the Bank provided technical and financial support for the 5th Annual Training Workshop for African Union (AU) member states on harnessing AI for sharper monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on the Second Ten-Year Plan (2024–2033) of Agenda 2063.

The five-day event, held in Lusaka, Zambia, was jointly organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). It brought together AU member state representatives to sharpen their technical expertise in applying AI tools and digital innovations to track and report continental progress.

Participants took part in hands-on sessions with cutting-edge AI platforms such as Ailyse, ChatGPT, Google AI Studio, Google Gemini, and Perplexity, exploring their potential to enhance data analysis, speed up decision-making, and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

Abibu Tamu, Lead Programme Co-ordinator at the AfDB, said the initiative highlights the Bank’s determination to boost results-driven planning, accountability, and innovation within the AU framework.

“These tools are not only revolutionising how data is collected, analysed, and reported, they are also enabling more targeted policy interventions and efficient resource allocation,” Tamu said.

The workshop also doubled as a platform for peer learning, with delegates exchanging innovative strategies and best practices in national development planning and results-based reporting.

According to the AfDB, the training is part of a broader push to expand institutional and human capacity across Africa, with AI set to play a central role in driving socio-economic transformation under Agenda 2063’s Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan.