The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has launched a one-year project to strengthen collaborative governance of artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity across Africa.
The project titled “Towards Collaborative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity Governance in Africa”, is being implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with support from the government of Japan.
The project launched last Wednesday, started running from March this year and will end in March next year.
It will focus on research, policy dialogue and capacity development to improve the ability of state and non-state actors to promote responsible, coordinated and context-sensitive AI and cybersecurity governance frameworks.
It will engage stakeholders from the 15 members of the AU Peace and Security Council.
Caution
Speaking at the event, the Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Vice Marshal David Anetey Akrong, cautioned that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and cyber technologies are reshaping Africa’s security and governance landscape, creating both opportunities and complex new threats.
AVM Akrong said AI, data-driven systems and cyber technologies are no longer tools of the future but are now central to governance, conflict management, economic development and public service delivery across the continent.
He also indicated that governments and security institutions are increasingly deploying AI-enabled systems for border management, surveillance, intelligence gathering, disaster response and administrative efficiency.
At the same time, he said, cyberspace has become a critical domain for national security, economic activity and political engagement.
“However, alongside these opportunities, we are also witnessing a rapid expansion of complex and evolving threats.
These include cybercrime, ransomware attacks, digital espionage, misinformation and disinformation campaigns, deepfakes, and the increasing use of AI-enabled tools by both criminal networks and extremist actors,” he stated.
AVM Akrong said the threats are compounded by uneven regulatory frameworks, limited institutional coordination and capacity gaps across many African Union Member States.
He added that in some instances, vulnerabilities have heightened regional tensions and undermined trust between states where advanced technologies are deployed without adequate governance safeguards.
Coordination
The Commandant said the project would strengthen coordination, institutional capacity and policy coherence on AI and cybersecurity governance.
He affirmed that the project would promote shared understanding of emerging risks, enhance cross-border collaboration and support responsible, inclusive and context-sensitive governance frameworks through research, policy dialogue and capacity development.
He stressed that cyber threats and AI-related risks are inherently borderless and require collective intelligence, coordinated strategies and sustained partnerships among governments, regional organisations, development partners, academia and civil society.
“Today’s launch is not only ceremonial. It is a strategic move that marks the beginning of a coordinated effort to address one of the most pressing governance challenges of our time,” the Commandant said.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Japan for its support and to UNDP for its technical expertise and urged all stakeholders to actively engage to ensure the project’s success and long-term impact.
