Artificial Intelligence: Int'l War College trainees drilled on opportunities, threats for Africa.

This is the focus of a three-day international colloquium organised by the school on its campus at the Simbock neighbourhood in Yaounde. 

The colloquium was officially launched May 29 by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, MINDEF, Saïd Kamsouloum.

The MINDEF scribe opened the training on behalf of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo. 

The colloquium which ends Friday May 31, is holding under the theme: “Artificial Intelligence: Opportunity or threat for Africa?”.

The 61 trainees drawn from 25 countries are being drilled on the technology with the goal to propose practical strategies on how Artificial Intelligence can improve military operations on the continent.

Speaking while opening the colloquium, the Secretary General at MINDEF, Saïd Kamsouloum, urged the trainees to, at the end of the training, propose practical recommendations capable of conceiving, planning and improving on the implementation of military operations with the use of AI. 

“…our biggest wish is that this gathering to bring up new strategies among the key actors of this new key technological tool will lead to common strategies being arrived at for the African continent,” the SG said, adding that: “The expected solutions should be able to be implemented effectively and take into consideration all the specificities and contexts of our continent”.

By organising the international colloquium with national and international partners, he said the International War College is resolutely aligning with the directives of the Head of State, Paul Biya. 

Need for practical African strategy

In his inaugural lecture titled: “Africa and the Artificial Intelligence revolution: Building a positive, winning strategy”, the Director of Seminar at ESIG who doubles as varsity lecturer/researcher, Prof Wullson Mvomo Ela, stated that the African continent is still to fully grasp both the opportunities and major threats of AI. 

This, Prof Mvomo Ela said, is happening despite the continent being home to all the strategic resources that powers AI technology. 

This situation, the varsity don regretted, could lead to a new form of colonialism and new inequalities. 

Prof Mvomo Ela then proposed the putting in place of a practical African strategy of coordination, complementarity and coherence in the domain of AI. 

“It is a great duty for Africa to have a grand strategy relatively with Artificial Intelligence. Our reflection at the International War College is how to build a global and cooperative strategy in that matter,” he suggested. 

“So, we organised this symposium to show that we have challenges linked to AI, but these challenges impose constraints on us if they are to be met,” he added.

Such constraints, which he said are cognitive, political, strategic and operational, Prof Mvomo Ela stated, must be addressed “to ensure that Africa does not just become a market or a field of resources, but takes the lead in this new geopolitics and geostrategic era of AI”. 

Zoom on objectives of training 

Speaking earlier, the Commander of the International War College, Brigadier General Nka Valère, said through the international colloquium, ESIG seeks to fulfil one of its main missions dedicated to continuously educating senior military officials to play full part in intellectual reflection on relevant contemporary issues. 

General Nka said ESIG is using the colloquium to take stock of the uses and implications of AI in the society, analyze the various issues and challenges linked to AI. 

He said participants will also analyze the new behaviours emerging in connection with the massive use of AI as well as make proposals on its related public policies.

General Nka said in addition to geopolitical seminars and other teaching modules, the colloquium is part of a long-standing tradition of ESIG in organising major annual scientific events. 

The 2024 edition of the colloquium, he added, reinforces the strong strategic option of the military hierarchy, as directed by the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Paul Biya. 

Key areas of panel discussions

The colloquium is divided into three panels of three to four speakers each, chaired by three senior lecturers and a cream of carefully selected experts. 

The first panel dwelled on “Understanding AI: Theoretical and technological aspects”. It was moderated by Professor Marcel Fouda Ndjodo, lecturer/researcher and General Academic Inspector at the Ministry of Higher Education. 

There were equally presentations on AI and machine learning models, AI and African data sovereignty and another issues and challenges of building an-Artificial Intelligence ecosystem in Africa. 

The second day of the colloquium will focus on the socio-political, economic, legal and ethical challenges of Artificial Intelligence.

Th panel, as per the programme, will be moderated by lecturer/researcher cum Vice Rector of the University of Yaounde II, Prof Mathias-Eric Owona.

It will also feature lectures from different experts on issues and challenges of the globalized AI economy, issues and challenges of an African Artificial Intelligence Policy. 

It will also look at AI as an object of public action in Africa and issues and challenges for the ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Africa. 

The third panel will touch on defense and security in the face of Artificial Intelligence, strategic perspectives, defense and security issues. 

There will also be presentations on stakes and challenges of AI in Africa's security environment; Artificial Intelligence and capability strategy in the armed forces, operationalisation/integration in the planning and conduct of operations in the armed forces as well Artificial Intelligence and military command in African armies among others. 

Created by Presidential Decree on January 13, 2005, the International War College has for its 19 years of existence, trained 784 senior military officers from some 30 African countries, Europe, Asia and the United States of America. 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No3127 of Friday May 31, 2024