Advancing South–South Cooperation in AI Policymaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026

Official Satellite Event at the India AI Impact Summit | Africa Asia Policy Network Workshop

We’re looking forward to convening members of the Africa–Asia AI Policymaker Network at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 for a dedicated, closed door workshop focused on collaboration, learning, and practical policy progress.As an Official Satellite Event of the Summit, the Africa–Asia AI Policymaker Network Workshop will bring together policymakers to share updates on national AI strategies, reflect on regulatory developments, and begin drafting cooperation roadmaps around areas of shared interest.The session is co-convened by the Global Center on AI Governance, the HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council) (HSRC), and the FAIR Forward – AI for All initiative, funded by @Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (GIZ).

The Africa–Asia AI Policymaker Network will convene policymakers and experts from across the Global South at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, reinforcing its mission to advance South–South cooperation on context-relevant AI policymaking. Established in 2022, the Network serves as a platform for peer learning, shared problem-solving, and collaboration among policymakers navigating the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in diverse institutional and development contexts.

As AI adoption accelerates across Africa and Asia, policymakers face common challenges related to infrastructure constraints, regulatory capacity, cross-border AI services, and emerging risks. Through its engagement at the India AI Impact Summit, the Network aims to support countries in developing practical, collaborative approaches to AI governance that reflect shared realities and policy priorities.

Access the full discussion document that has been used as input to the workshop sessions. Explore key insights and examples of South-South cooperation on AI policy

Session Details

Date: 19 February 2026Time: 09:00 – 15:00Venue: Hotel Lalit (closed door)

Session Agenda

Panel Discussion: Strengthening Context-Relevant AI Policymaking

The Africa–Asia AI Policymaker Network enables regular exchange among member countries to share progress on AI policy and regulation, benchmark national approaches, and learn from diverse policymaking experiences. This peer-exchange model supports policymakers in improving policy formulation and implementation while creating space for external inputs from researchers, innovators, and technical experts on emerging AI challenges.

A central moment of the Network’s engagement will be the public panel session “South–South Cooperation in AI Policymaking: Developing a Collaboration Roadmap”, hosted as part of the India AI Impact Summit.

This session is co-hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa), the Global Center on AI Governance (GCG), and the FAIR Forward - AI for All initiative of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Policymakers and experts from seven African and Asian countries will discuss shared challenges and opportunities in AI governance and explore concrete pathways for cross-border collaboration. The discussion will lay the foundation for cooperation roadmaps in areas such as infrastructure and data sharing, regulatory experimentation, mutual recognition frameworks, and AI safety monitoring.

Speaker Lineup

• Cyprien Nshimiyimana, Strategy and Policy Analyst, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Rwanda
• Irene Karungi Sekitoleko, Senior ICT Infrastructure Engineer, Ministry of ICT and National Guidance​, Government of Uganda
• Kautsarina Adam, Coordinator of Data Protection and Information Security Management, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of Indonesia
• Maxwell Ababio, Head of Technology and Ethics, Data Protection Commission, Ghana
• Dr. Odilile Ayodele, Senior Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council
• Dr. Rachel Adams, CEO, Global Center on AI Governance
• Rama Devi Lanka, Lead, Frontier Tech Hub for State-Level Engagement, NITI Aayog, Government of India
• Richard Mwaura Kiarie, Deputy Director of ICT, National Treasury, Government of Kenya
• Siphokazi Novukuza, Director: Cybersecurity,Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies
• Wolfger Bungarten, Deputy Head of Division “Digital technologies”, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Session details

Date: Monday, 16 February 2026

Time: 11:30 AM – 12:25PM IST

Venue: Room 9-Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre, New Delhi

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/nCqUK51jfTjJEWNr7