Rwanda and Singapore have announced that they will be partnering to lead the development of a Digital Forum of Small States (Digital FOSS) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Playbook, which is expected to be available by the end of 2024.
The playbook, which is tailored for small states, will address the challenges associated with the secure design, development, evaluation, and implementation of AI systems, taking into consideration the unique constraints that small states face.
The aim, the two countries said, is to facilitate collaboration among policymakers in FOSS, to establish a trusted ecosystem where AI technologies are utilised for the benefit of the public.
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The announcement was made on Thursday, May 30, in Singapore, at the Digital Forum of Small States (DFOSS) Ministerial Roundtable, attended by 18 member states including Rwanda.
The Ministerial Roundtable took place on the side-lines of a three-day conference, dubbed Asia Tech x Summit, bringing together global tech industry players for talks and discussions on digitalisation.
At the Roundtable, the Minister of Communications and Information of Singapore, Josephine Teo, noted that the playbook reflects how, by working together, small states can play a significant role in the global conversation on AI governance.
"By collaborating and building each other's capacity, we can become a credible force in digital governance,” she said, emphasising the importance of collective strength of small states and their responsibility to make their voices heard, notably in emerging areas like Al.
Singapore has been at the forefront of advancing the development of emerging technologies.
In 2019, Singapore was among the first countries in the world to articulate AI governance principles through the publication of the Model AI Governance Framework to promote the responsible use of Traditional AI.
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Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, underlined Rwanda’s commitment to synergising with other world actors in harnessing the benefits of artificial intelligence.
"We believe AI is truly the next frontier to unlock enormous economic opportunities in the world and Rwanda as well. We are also aware of the unique challenges facing small states and developing economies to fully harness such benefits,” she said.
Ingabire further noted that through the partnership with Singapore and DFOSS members, Rwanda is committed to creating synergies that enable the creation of vibrant ecosystems capable of reaping the full benefits of AI, while minimizing potential risks of the technology.
At this year’s Asia Tech x Summit, the Rwandan delegation comprises officials from the National Identification Agency (NIDA), Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE), Rwanda Information Society Agency (RISA), and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IRR).
During their visit in Singapore, the delegation, which is headed by the Minister of Education, Gaspard Twagirayezu, visited Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport, to gain insights into how passport-free and contactless immigration clearance works at the airport.
They met with the leadership of global technology company, Crimsonlogic, to discuss potential collaboration on a project to build a Rwandan digital ID akin to Singapore's national digital identity, commonly known as SingPass.
Rwanda and Singapore have strong relations and Singaporean officials in the recent past described Rwanda as an innovative and forward-looking nation.
The two countries collaborate strongly including at the UN and both are members of the forum of the United Nations’ Forum of Small States.