81318807-Support for the implementation of the EAC Regional AI Alliance to enhance AI research, higher education, and AI strategy development in the region

The EAC AI Alliance (East African Alliance for Digital Skills, AI Research, and Innovation is a regional initiative) hosted by the East African Community (EAC) and implemented by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), with support from GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The EAC AI Alliance aims to strengthen the regional AI ecosystem by advancing digital skills, applied research, and policy development to foster inclusive innovation and sustainable economic growth. The initiative responds to urgent challenges across the EAC region: weak regional research collaboration, fragmented digital development, misalignment between academic training and labour market demands, and a lack of regional policy frameworks for AI and data governance. A core goal is to close the AI skills gap by promoting equitable access to industry-relevant training and practice-oriented research. The project"s mission is to foster responsible and inclusive AI development through collaboration between academia, industry, governments, and civil society. Its vision is a digitally empowered East Africa where AI contributes to economic integration, gender equity, and sustainable development. Three interdependent objectives guide implementation: (1) Strengthen regional AI research and innovation by fostering cross-border collaboration through a Network of Excellence, (2) Enhance AI capacity in higher education through inclusive, market-aligned curricula and microcredentials, and (3) Support the development of a harmonized, ethical, and gender-responsive AI governance framework across the EAC. These objectives are aligned with the EAC"s political commitments and endorsed by the EAC Sectoral Council. The project builds on existing regional capacities and is backed by EUR 5 million in German development cooperation funding, with additional co-financing and strategic partnerships envisaged for future scaling.