AFRICA DIGITAL PARLIAMENTARY SUMMIT
The Lusaka Declaration
1. The Pan African Parliament (PAP), in collaboration with the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and GSMA, hosted the first Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Protection and Privacy (DPP). Discussions also focused on the Africa Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing for three consecutive days from 9 to 11 July 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia.
2. The Summit took place during a time when advancement in digitization is expanding rapidly throughout the world. Africa, as a continent, is lagging behind the rest of the world in the digitization rush. Its innovation, capacitation, and harnessing the dividends of a digitized society is not at par with global trends and standards. In the long run, this could have the negative effect of reducing the competitiveness of Africa and Africans in the global stage.
3. Moreover, trends associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially regarding digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data protection and privacy, highlight the need for African policymakers to acquire the relevant skills necessary to address policy issues related to digital transformation, particularly the roles of Digital Health and Smart Manufacturing in alignment with the vision of “the Africa We Want” as outlined in the African Union Agenda 2063 and the urgent need for Global Health Security.
4. The inaugural Summit aimed at Building the capacity of Members of Parliament on Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Privacy with a specific focus on Governance and Policy considerations and challenges. It was also laying a foundation to foster dialogue among policymakers, researchers, and private sector stakeholders to align legislative action with Africa’s digital transformation agenda. 4. The meeting was attended by Members of Parliament from the Pan-African Parliament Committees on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology, and Health, Labour and Social Affairs as well as institutional representatives from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), AUDA-NEPAD, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).
5. The opening ceremony featured three keynote speeches delivered by Hon. Behdja Mokrani, Chairperson of the Pan-African Parliament Committee on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology; Dr. Anthony Mveyange, Director of Programmes, Synergy at APHRC; and Mr. Kenechi Okeleke, Senior Director at GSMA. Each speaker reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the success of the Summit and underscored the timeliness and relevance of the workshop. They highlighted the critical importance of equipping Members of Parliament with the knowledge required to make informed legislative decisions on these complex and evolving issues.
6. They further indicated that the Summit was crucial for ensuring that technological innovation translates into tangible benefits for African citizens while safeguarding national interests, rights, and sovereignty.
7. On the Training on AI, Data Protection and Privacy, Members of Parliament:
7.1 EXPRESSED appreciation to the APHRC and GSMA for convening the Summit as an opportunity to establish the foundation for long-term partnerships that enhance the role of research, data science, and innovation in policy processes across the continent.
7.2 ACKNOWLEDGED the need for strengthening the connection between research and policy action by fostering dialogue among legislators, researchers, and private sector stakeholders, ensuring that Africa’s policy responses are grounded in robust and locally generated evidence.
7.3 WELCOMED the development of targeted data and digital literacy programmes for Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary staff, enhancing their ability to navigate complex issues such as AI governance, data protection, privacy and governance, and cross-border data flows.
7.4 ACKNOWLEDGED that while AI offers significant opportunities for predictive healthcare, optimized resource allocation, and enhanced production processes, it also presents risks related to inequality, exclusion, and privacy violations if not governed appropriately.
7.5 RECOGNIZED the need for robust Africa-led governance frameworks to ensure responsible AI development and application, given it potential impact on democracy, elections and governance which is key to AU under the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and good Governance (ACDEG).
8. On Digital Health, Members of Parliament:
8.1 NOTED that digital health offers significant economic potential in Africa, estimated at $4.6 billion in 2024, with projections reaching approximately $5.7 billion under a baseline scenario and $6.5 billion under an optimistic scenario by 2030. This growth is expected to substantially contribute to the region's health sector Gross Domestic Product (GDP), highlighting the critical importance of ongoing investment and strategic development.
8.2 EMPHASIZED the need for transformative potential of digital health, which is revolutionizing healthcare delivery through enhanced data utilization, AI-driven decision-making, and cross-border health information exchange, critical components for advancing universal health coverage across the continent.
8.3 Further EMPHASIZED the importance of establishing a normative standards framework for health to ensure that Digital Health Initiatives (DHIs) adhere to international standards. This includes adopting national Health Information Exchange (HIE) protocols to promote data sharing and policy harmonization.
9. On Smart Manufacturing, Members of Parliament:
9.1 RECOGNIZED the necessity of facilitating cross-sector collaboration among the Commerce, Trade, and ICT sectors to jointly explore opportunities for the digitalization of manufacturing processes, thereby enhancing domestic productivity and supply chain resilience.
9.2 Further RECOGNIZED the necessity of creating an enabling environment for sustained investments in advancing connectivity networks, given their critical role in facilitating smart manufacturing.
9.3 NOTED the need to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ education initiatives to cultivate the necessary labour skills to meet the workforce demands for smart manufacturing in Africa.
9.4 Further NOTED the need to integrate Industry 4.0 into National Industrial Policies by advocating for the explicit inclusion of digital transformation goals and metrics in national industrial development strategies and sectoral master plans.
9.5 EMPHASIZED the need to incentivise Digital Adoption among SMEs and Mid-sized Manufacturers by legislating laws and policies that champion targeted financial mechanisms, including: tax incentives for technology upgrades; direct grants and subsidies for digital adoption; and access to affordable industrial financing tools that reduce risk.
9.6 Further EMPHASIZED the need to establish and Enforce Data Governance & Cybersecurity Protocols by encouraging African member states to adopt and implement robust frameworks for data ownership, sharing, and cybersecurity in line with the African Union’s Malabo Convention including; industrial data protection laws, operational technology (OT) cybersecurity standards, and national cyber resilience strategies for manufacturing systems.
9.7 REAFFIRMED Parliamentarians’ commitment, if capacitated, to facilitate the adoption of coherent and harmonized legislation that promotes responsible digital innovation, safeguards privacy and human rights, and ensures that Africa’s digital transformation remains inclusive, secure, and aligned with the continent's priorities
9.8 Further REAFFIRMED the need to drive regulatory reform to foster innovation by supporting the review and modernisation of outdated industrial regulations and leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to create regional supply chains for smart manufacturing inputs.
9.9 ACKNOWLEDGED the opportunities presented by smart manufacturing, leveraging AI and automation to enhance industrial productivity, create jobs, and strengthen Africa’s global competitiveness.
9.10 RECOGNIZED that these developments are pivotal for achieving the Aspirations of Agenda 2063, the African Union’s blueprint for inclusive growth, sustainable development and the continent integration.
9.11 EXPRESSED the need to implement enabling regulations for investment in advanced connectivity infrastructure, e.g 5G, especially around SEZs. Effective policies around spectrum can facilitate the roll out of 5G, including private 5G networks around SEZs where manufacturers are based to improve production processes.
9.11 Further EXPRESSED the need for governments to build awareness of the benefits of smart manufacturing among manufacturers and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and launch campaigns to educate manufacturers on smart manufacturing benefits, such as cost savings and productivity gains.
9.12 EMPHASIZED the need to support local research institutions and startups developing affordable, context-specific solutions, given the unique issues that local manufacturers face in the region. Encourage reverse engineering and adaptation of global technologies.
9.13 NOTED the need to facilitate investments in renewable energy and off-grid solutions to address energy challenge, including exploring emerging models for off-grid solutions for renewable energy generation and distribution.
10. RECOMMENDATIONS
At the end of the fruitful engagements and deliberations, the following recommendations were made for:
10.1 Members of Parliament to:
i. Support Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks on AI for Health and Industry to ensure safe, transparent and ethical use at national, regional and continental levels.
ii. Develop Model Laws and Policy Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Privacy with support from APRM, AUDA-NEPAD, GSMA, and APHRC, aligned with AU Agenda 2063.
iii. Advocate for the ratification and domestication of the Malabo Convention (AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection) to address emerging technologies, including AI, cross-border data flows, and evolving cyber threats.
iv. Support allocation of adequate funding for Digital Infrastructure, Research, Innovation and Development in AI.
v. Support vocational and Higher Education in AI by increasing the budget of the relevant academic institutions.
vi. Enhance collaboration between PAP, AU organs and Civil society Organisations such as APHRC and GSMA to develop and implement an Africa-led governance framework on Artificial Intelligence, ensuring it benefits all Africans.
vii. Facilitate Cross-border Research projects on AI solutions that address shared healthcare burdens and supply chain Resilience.
viii. Institutionalize the convening of an annual Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit in collaboration with APRM, AUDA-NEPAD, GSMA, and APHRC as a formal multi-stakeholder platform to review progress on recommendations made and monitor policy harmonization.
10.2 APHRC, GSMA and other stakeholders to:
i. Support Members of Parliament and parliamentary technical personnel with continuous technical training, up-to-date research, and knowledge exchange on AI ethics, data governance, digital health, and smart manufacturing.
ii. Support the development of national AI capability frameworks to assess readiness at sectoral levels in collaboration with members of parliament.
iii. Facilitate the development of tailored leadership programmes for policymakers to understand AI strategic value.
iv. Support AU Member States in integrating smart manufacturing, digital health, and AI into national development plans, mobilizing resources, technical expertise, and multi-sectoral partnerships.
v. Encourage GSMA to deepen partnerships with the African private sector, mobile network operators, and innovators to expand infrastructure and services that enable AI to ensure no community is left behind.
vi. Encourage APHRC enhance its collaboration with PAP and national parliaments to translate research into legislative action and to continue generating policy-relevant research on the socio-economic impacts of digital transformation.
vii. Facilitate an immersive learning experience in digital health and smart manufacturing for the parliamentarians in the workshop at the GSMA MWC Shanghai 25-26 June 2026, as part of supporting capacity building of Parliamentarians in the adoption of coherent and harmonized legislation that promotes responsible digital innovation, safeguards privacy and human rights, and ensures that Africa’s digital transformation remains inclusive, secure, and aligned with the continent's priorities.
11. In recognition of the vital role of Members of Parliament (MPs) in shaping laws and policies that drive the continent’s development, the Digital Parliamentary Summit offered a timely platform to enhance the knowledge and capacity of Parliamentarians on critical aspects of digital transformation. Special attention was given to emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Health, Smart Manufacturing, and Data Protection, areas central to Africa's socio-economic development and continental integration.
Lusaka, Zambia, 11 July 2025
