At the inauguration of the commemoration of the African Union's Theme of the Year on the 20th of August, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, the CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, H.E. Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, urged attendees to envision an Africa where innovation and technology address the continent's inequalities.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to imagine an Africa where innovation and technology close the gaps of inequality, ensuring that the gender digital divide is bridged and every individual, regardless of their background and socio-economic status, can thrive and contribute meaningfully to society," said the CEO.

Ms. Bekele-Thomas was speaking at an event organized by AUDA-NEPAD and the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with Lund University and Nina Jojer Ltd. The event celebrated the African Union's 2024 theme: “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa.”

The focus of the event was on how education and technology can drive Africa's development, with special emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) and international partnerships in higher education through the African Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators (ASTII) programme. It also highlighted the alignment of AU frameworks on education and science, technology, and innovation (STI) with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Quality Education (SDG 4), Industrialization, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), and International Partnerships for Sustainable Development (SDG 17).

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