Africa Takes Centre Stage in G20 Leaders’ Declaration on AI, Data Governance, and Global Partnerships

For the first time in its history, the G20 Summit—hosted on November 23, 2025—took place on African soil, convening global leaders in Johannesburg under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.” The resulting Leaders’ Declaration places Africa at the forefront of conversations around artificial intelligence, data governance, and global digital cooperation, marking a significant shift in how the continent is positioned in emerging technology discourse.

A New Era: AI for Africa Initiative

One of the key outcomes is the introduction of the AI for Africa Initiative, a voluntary platform under the Africa–G20 cooperation framework. The initiative aims to expand African access to critical digital enablers—compute capacity, talent development, representative datasets, and infrastructure—laying the foundation for long-term, inclusive AI adoption across the continent.

Beyond inclusion, the declaration strongly acknowledges the need for sovereign AI capabilities in Africa, backed by sustainable investment models and partnerships designed to generate real economic value rather than short-term participation.

Additionally, the document confirms the establishment of the UNESCO-led Technology Policy Assistance Facility (TPAF) under the South African presidency. The facility will support countries in crafting informed AI policies by drawing on global research and best practices.

“We are happy to have put at the centre stage the issues of AI and data sovereignty for Africa,” said William Baloi, Deputy Government Spokesperson for South Africa. “This summit signals our focus on AI for good.”

Global Context: A Fragmented but Accelerating Governance Landscape

Globally, AI and data governance remain a fast-moving patchwork of regulations. The rise of generative AI has amplified the need for stronger oversight frameworks that balance innovation with risk management, privacy, ethics, and human rights.

Regions such as the EU, U.S., China, U.K., and Canada continue to lead with robust policy ecosystems—areas where Africa is now making more intentional strides. Compared to the 2024 Rio Declaration, the 2025 communiqué maintains continuity around transparency, fairness, accountability, and human oversight, while signaling a stronger push for multilateral cooperation, including through the United Nations.

Why the G20’s Position Matters

Representing 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population, the G20 significantly influences global standards around AI, data flows, and digital infrastructure.

According to John James Kirton, Director of the G20 Research Group, the world is moving rapidly toward more stringent AI regulation—leaving Africa at risk of being sidelined without accelerated domestic frameworks.

“The G20 signals intent, but robust laws, data protection alignment, and accountable oversight will determine whether the continent safeguards its digital value or continues to export it for free,” he noted.

Similarly, Neville Matjie, CEO of Brand South Africa, emphasized that the declaration strengthens Africa’s leverage, encouraging tech ecosystems to push for proactive government action.

The Road Ahead: From Promises to Execution

With the declarations now formalized, the critical phase is implementation.

For the AI for Africa Initiative, key questions emerge:

• Will it attract sustainable financing?

• Who will champion and coordinate it?

• How quickly will it translate into infrastructure and compute capacity that startups, universities, and innovators can use?

African governments will also need to play their part. As Kirton stressed, data sovereignty and homegrown AI capacity require immediate shifts in national budgets, regulatory posture, and infrastructure investment—not years down the road.

Innovation, African founders often point out, thrives on funding, talent, compute, and demand—not declarationsalone.

“Tech will drive our economies,” Matjie said. “We cannot always rely on imported solutions when we have the capability to innovate locally.”

Looking Forward: Will Africa Remain Central in 2026 and Beyond?

As the G20 presidency transitions to the United States in 2026, a key question remains:
Will Africa stay at the core of the global tech governance agenda once the summit moves off the continent?
Or will the momentum created in Johannesburg need even stronger advocacy to influence the global mainstream?

What is clear is that Africa has signaled its readiness to shape the future of AI and data governance—not from the sidelines, but from the center.