Republic of Rwanda Ministry of ICT and Innovation
To leverage AI to power economic growth, improve quality of life and position Rwanda as a global innovator for responsible and inclusive AI
List of Abbreviations
AI Artificial Intelligence GIZ German Corporation for International Cooperation GmbH MINECOFIN Ministry of Public Service and Labour MINEDUC Ministry of Education MINICOM Ministry of Trade and Industry MINICT Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Innovation MININFRA Ministry of Infrastructure ML Machine Learning MOOC Massive Open Online Course MOH Ministry of Health NAIO National AI Office Singapore NCSA National Cybersecurity Agency NISR National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development RAIO Responsible AI Office RDB Rwanda Development Board RISA Rwanda Information Society Authority RURA Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority TFS The Future Society UNEP UN Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Table of Content
Executive Summary ... 1 Implementation Plan Summary ... 7 1. 21st Century Skills & High AI Literacy ... 7 2. Reliable Infrastructure & Compute Capacity ... 11 3. Robust Data Strategy ... 13 4. Trustworthy AI Adoption in the Public Sector ... 14 5. Widely Beneficial AI Adoption in the Private Sector ... 16 6. Practical AI Ethical Guidelines ... 18
Executive Summary
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to dramatically improve lives and livelihoods across the Republic of Rwanda, as well as make remarkable progress towards achievement of national development and economic objectives and sustainable development goals. However, while the development and economic opportunities of AI are huge, they are inextricably connected with risks which require ethical principles and precautions.
The National Artificial Intelligence Policy for the Republic of Rwanda serves as a roadmap to enable Rwanda to harness the benefits of AI and mitigate its risks. Building on the mission of the Vision 2050, Smart Rwanda Master Plan and other key national plans and policies, it equips Rwanda to harness AI for sustainable and inclusive growth. By mobilizing local, regional, and international stakeholders, it positions Rwanda to become a leading African Innovation Hub and Africa's Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence.
The National AI Policy has been developed by MINICT and RURA, with support by GIZ FAIR Forward, the Centre for the 4th Industrial Revolution Rwanda (C4IR) and The Future Society (TFS). The National AI Policy, which promotes and fosters Rwanda's inclusive and sustainable socio-economic transformation, is oriented around the following vision and mission statements.
Vision
To become a global center for AI research and innovation
Mission
To leverage AI to power economic growth, improve quality of life and position Rwanda as a global innovator for responsible and inclusive AI
National Objectives
The Rwanda AI policy aims to achieve the following national objectives:
- Positioning Rwanda as Africa's AI Lab and Responsible AI Champion
- Building 21st Century Skills and AI Literacy
- Creating an Open, Secure, Trusted Data Ecosystem as an Enabler of the AI Revolution
- Driving Public Sector Transformation to Fuel AI Adoption