• Ethiopia deepens AI cooperation with India under Digital Ethiopia 2030

• Indian tech firms explore use cases in agriculture, health, and e-learning

• Partnership aims to build local skills and long-term digital capacity

Ethiopia is looking to step up its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy by strengthening its partnership with India, as part of a broader push to build a digital economy.

The move gained momentum with a recent visit by a delegation of Indian technology companies to the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, a key pillar of the country’s national innovation system, according to the Ethiopian News Agency on March 23.

“The Ethiopian government has taken significant steps to make high-quality data accessible and affordable for its population. This provides a strong foundation, supported by a skilled and talented workforce, for developing AI-based solutions,” said Anil Kumar Rai, India’s ambassador to Ethiopia, in an interview with the agency.

The cooperation falls under the “Digital Ethiopia 2030” strategy, which aims to integrate emerging technologies into priority sectors of the economy. During the visit, Indian stakeholders—particularly from ICT, agriculture, and digital services—held discussions with Ethiopian counterparts on practical AI applications.

These included use cases in smart agriculture, public data management, online learning, and healthcare services.

Beyond Ethiopia, several African countries are increasingly turning to India for technology partnerships. Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Seychelles, and Lesotho have all engaged with India, either to establish collaborations or to draw lessons from its development model.

For Addis Ababa, the goal goes beyond adopting new technologies. Authorities are seeking to build sustainable national capabilities by training talent, developing pilot projects, and investing in robust digital infrastructure. The Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute plays a central role in this effort, leading AI initiatives and facilitating international partnerships.

Adoni Conrad Quenum