In a historic moment for Africa, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi opened the second G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) and Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) meeting early in April with a resounding call for inclusive and ethical digital transformation.
Speaking in Gqeberha, Minister Malatsi underscored South Africa’s commitment to using its G20 presidency—the first ever for an African nation—to place the Global South at the center of digital development. “Digital progress cannot be measured by individual gain alone,” he said, referencing the African philosophy of Ubuntu. “If billions remain offline, our collective advancement is incomplete.”
Minister Malatsi outlined four key pillars of South Africa’s vision: bridging the digital divide, building inclusive digital public infrastructure, nurturing innovation ecosystems, and championing ethical AI. These priorities build on the work of previous G20 presidencies held by Indonesia, India, and Brazil, which focused on digital literacy, infrastructure, and AI for sustainable development.
Citing data from the International Telecommunication Union, Malatsi noted that 2.9 billion people still lack internet access. He called for urgent global collaboration to address the economic, educational, and linguistic barriers that keep communities offline. “Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity,” he emphasized.
South Africa also announced its intent to launch a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Innovation Accelerator to highlight scalable, open-source digital tools that promote service delivery, e-governance, and financial inclusion. Inspired by India’s Aadhaar and UPI systems, the initiative will prioritize cybersecurity and data protection to ensure trust and resilience in digital systems.
On AI, Malatsi warned against the risks of bias, exclusion, and linguistic inequity. He called for greater investment in low-resource language models and emphasized the need for global standards on AI safety and transparency. The upcoming “AI for Africa” initiative will seek to develop AI-ready data sets, critical skills, and inclusive governance frameworks for the continent.
“We must steer digital transformation toward the common good,” Malatsi concluded. “If addressed through cooperation, the digital revolution can drive unprecedented inclusion and equity.”
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