Kenya’s AI envoy calls for shared sovereignty as capabilities accelerate

Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Philip Thigo, is calling for a model of shared sovereignty as artificial-intelligence capabilities accelerate. Speaking during discussions in New York, he argued that African countries need stronger access to compute, data and skills, while retaining the ability to make informed choices about technologies shaping their economies and institutions.

The idea recognises a practical constraint. No African country is likely to build every layer of the AI stack independently, from advanced chips and cloud infrastructure to frontier model research. Trying to do so could leave countries isolated or force them to duplicate expensive systems. But dependence on external platforms creates its own risks when governments cannot inspect, adapt or govern the tools they use.

Shared sovereignty offers a middle path. Countries can cooperate on infrastructure, research and standards while preserving the policy space to decide how systems are deployed locally. That means partnerships should expand agency rather than simply increase consumption.

Thigo also linked AI adoption to productivity, capability and economic value. The relevant question is not only whether a country is using AI, but whether adoption builds local research, enterprises, jobs and public-sector competence. This distinction matters as governments announce new partnerships that may deliver access without transferring enough knowledge or control.

For Africa, the challenge is to turn growing technology demand into a stronger position in the global value chain. Locally relevant applications, African research and trusted cross-border collaboration can help. So can clearer expectations for data governance, safety evaluation and public accountability.

The shared-sovereignty argument is ultimately about leverage. Africa does not need to build everything alone, but it does need enough collective capability to negotiate, test and shape the systems it chooses to use.

Source: https://techreviewafrica.com/news/7430/unga81-kenya-envoy-calls-for-shared-sovereignty-as-ai-capabilities-accelerate