Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, Waziri Mkuu wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Mheshimiwa Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa (Mbunge), hitifaki imefuatwa.

Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu, ningependa kuanza kwa kutoa takwimu: hili ni kongamano la nane, ambapo tumeshafanya makongamano saba yaliyopita. Yote yalilenga kuangazia changamoto za mwaka husika ambazo Tanzania inakabiliana nazo, na jinsi gani tunaweza kupanga mipango ya kutatua changamoto hizo. Tukiangalia tulipoanzia mwaka 2017 hadi sasa, tumekuwa tukijadili teknolojia mbalimbali, lakini mara nyingi tumekuwa tukiangazia jinsi teknolojia hizo zinavyoweza kuleta maendeleo ya kiuchumi na kijamii.

Kwa kuzingatia maendeleo ya teknolojia yanayoendelea duniani na jinsi Tanzania ilivyopiga hatua, mwaka huu tumeamua kongamano letu liangazie masuala ya Artificial Intelligence (AI, yaani akili bandia) na robotics, ili tuone jinsi teknolojia hizi zinaweza kuleta mapinduzi ya kiuchumi na kijamii.

Kongamano letu lilipoanza, lilichukua siku 3 tu. Lakini mwaka jana tukaamua kuongeza hadi kuwa siku 5 mfululizo, karibu kama wiki nzima. Tumefanya hivyo kwa sababu moja kubwa: Tanzania tunahakikisha tunajenga uchumi wa kidigitali ambao ni jumuishi. Na kwa kuwa ni jumuishi, kuna makundi maalum tunayohitaji kuyaangalia na kuenda nayo pamoja. Hii ni kwa sababu tunachokusudia ni mapinduzi makubwa sana.

Ningependa kukupa taarifa, Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu, kuhusu vikao na mawasilisho mbalimbali yaliyofanyika kuanzia Jumapili, tarehe 13 Oktoba 2024, hadi siku ya kufunga, Alhamisi, tarehe 17 Oktoba 2024.

Kwa undani, siku ya kwanza ya mkutano, iitwayo Siku ya Wanawake katika ICT (tarehe 13 Oktoba 2024), ilianza kwa hotuba kuu iliyozungumzia mafanikio na changamoto wanazopitia wanawake katika sekta ya TEHAMA.

Siku ya pili tuliangazia mafanikio na changamoto wanazokutana nazo vijana katika sekta ya TEHAMA.

Siku ya tatu ndio kongamano lilipoanza rasmi ambapo mada nyingi zilijadiliwa. Ningependa kueleza zaidi kuhusu siku ya kwanza, ambapo kulikuwa na mawasilisho na majadiliano nane. Tuliangazia mada mbalimbali zinazohusu mafanikio na changamoto. Kwanza tuliangalia nafasi ya mwanamke katika dunia ya akili bandia (AI) na ni mambo gani tunapaswa kuyarekebisha ili kuhakikisha kwamba wote tunaendelea pamoja. Pia tulijadiliana kuhusu kampuni changa (startups) zinazoongozwa na wanawake. Tulijaribu kualika wanawake waliofanikiwa Tanzania katika eneo hili ili kuonyesha kwamba mafanikio yanawezekana na kuonyesha njia ambazo zinaweza kuwasaidia wanawake wengine kuingia katika sekta hiyo.

Kitu ambacho tunakifahamu ni kwamba wanawake, kiasili, ni wajasiriamali. Kwa hiyo, wanapopata fursa ya kutumia teknolojia hizi, zinaweza kuwasaidia kufanya shughuli zao kwa ufanisi zaidi na kufanikisha mambo mawili makubwa katika uchumi wetu wa Tanzania. Kwanza, kutengeneza ajira kwa vijana, na pili, kuongeza mchango wa sekta ya TEHAMA katika pato la taifa. Tulijadiliana kwa undani na wachokoza mada wote siku hiyo walikuwa wanawake. Kwa hiyo, tulipata mafanikio makubwa sana, na siku hiyo ilikuwa ya mafanikio mazuri.

Siku ya pili ilikuwa ni siku ya vijana. Tulijadili masuala yale yale, changamoto wanazokutana nazo na vitu ambavyo vijana wanavitaka. Tuliangalia jinsi ya kupata mitaji, jinsi ya kuanzisha kampuni, na jinsi ya kuhakikisha kwamba kampuni zinaweza kutoka nje ya nchi. Lakini, Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, ningependa kueleza kitu kimoja ambacho kiliwagusa wengi katika siku hiyo, na kilitugusa sisi pamoja na watu wa nje. Uwepo wa vijana wa sekondari kutoka shule za mchepuo wa Kiswahili na Kiingereza, ambao walionyesha umahiri mkubwa katika teknolojia ya robotics na akili bandia (AI). Hii ilionyesha kwamba sio tu teknolojia hii ipo Tanzania, lakini imefikia hadi ngazi ya elimu ya sekondari. Hilo ni jambo kubwa sana, Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, katika jinsi tunavyoongoza nchi yetu. Kwa hiyo, iliwavutia watu wengi sana, na vijana hao wataenda kushiriki mashindano ya Akili Mnemba na Akili Bandia huko Uturuki.

Siku ya tatu tulikuwa na majadiliano matano yaliyogusa mada mbalimbali. Siku ya nne tulikuwa na majadiliano saba, na siku ya tano, ambayo ni leo, tumefanya majadiliano mawili.

Kuhusu mawasilisho ya kitafiti yaliyofanyika, siku ya kwanza kulikuwa na mawasilisho matano kutoka sehemu mbalimbali. Siku ya pili yalikuwa kumi na mawili. Siku ya tatu, yalikuwa matano. Siku ya nne yalikuwa saba, na leo hii tumekuwa na mawasilisho matatu kama nilivyosema awali.

Katika kongamano hili, kwa mara ya kwanza tumepata mwitikio mkubwa sana wa watoa mada kutoka nje ya nchi. Kwa mfano, tulipata watoa mada kutoka Marekani, Umoja wa Ulaya (Finland, Italia, na Estonia), Afrika Kusini, Asia, na Mashariki ya Kati. Hii inafanya kongamano hili kuwa na sura ya kimataifa, lakini pia linaonekana kuwa na sura ya Kiafrika kwa namna kubwa. Nasema hivyo kwa sababu leo hii, Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, utashuhudia utoaji wa zawadi za mashindano ya kwanza kabisa barani Afrika yanayohusu akili bandia na robotics. Kwa hiyo, tukiangalia hayo yote kwa ujumla, kongamano hili la sasa la TAIC lina sura ya Kiafrika kabisa.

Sasa, nikija kwenye mada tulizozingatia, nitapitia haraka kidogo. Tuliangalia kwanza jinsi ya kutengeneza rasilimali watu katika eneo la akili bandia (AI), akili mnemba, na robotics. Pia, tuliangalia namna ya kutengeneza akili bandia ambayo itasaidia katika mambo mawili: kwanza, kutengeneza jamii inayotumia teknolojia hiyo, na pili, kuangalia jamii inayotumia maarifa katika kufanya shughuli zake.

Pia tuliangalia masuala ya jinsi ya kutengeneza mazingira wezeshi kwa ajili ya akili bandia (AI) kwa sababu, kama ulivyoona kwenye video na ulivyosikia, ili akili bandia ifanye kazi vizuri, ni muhimu sana kuwa na mazingira wezeshi. Kulikuwa na majadiliano pia kuhusu eneo la Tehama linaloitwa Digital Public Infrastructure, ambayo ni kama miundombinu ya barabara tunayojua, ila hapa ni miundombinu ya kidijitali inayowezesha bunifu mbalimbali kufanyika.

Sisi kama Tanzania tumepiga hatua kubwa katika eneo hili, na kutokana na hilo, kupitia wadau wa maendeleo ambao tunashirikiana nao, tulikuwa na majadiliano ya jinsi tunavyoweza kushiriki mafanikio yetu na kusaidia wenzetu wa Afrika kufanikiwa kama sisi.

Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, kwa kuwa tunatambua soko huru la Afrika linajengwa, Tanzania tumekuwa kinara wa kutengeneza teknolojia hii ya Stack ambayo umeisikia. Tumeielezea na tuko tayari kuanza kubadilishana taarifa na nchi nyingine, haswa kwenye masuala ya kuvuka mipaka.

Katika majadiliano, tulizingatia jinsi tulivyofikia mafanikio haya na namna ya kushiriki na nchi nyingine ili soko hili huru la Afrika liweze kufanya kazi vizuri. Na sehemu ya mwisho ya majadiliano ilikuwa ni jinsi gani tunaweza kuhamasisha maendeleo ya akili bandia na kushirikiana na wenzetu ili Tanzania iwe kitovu cha teknolojia hii. Tunalenga kutengeneza kampuni nyingi zinazoongozwa na vijana ambazo zinaweza kutoa huduma ndani na nje ya mipaka ya Tanzania, na ikiwezekana duniani kote.

Kitu kikubwa sana tulichokifanya, Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, kama ulivyoona jana, ni jinsi vijana wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam walivyoonyesha umahiri wao kwenye Robotics walizotengeneza. Ilikuwa inachukua muda kidogo roboti hizo kuelewa Kiswahili, lakini sasa tumetia saini makubaliano na taasisi moja ya Italia, ambayo itatusaidia kutengeneza mfumo uitwao Large Language Model ya Kiswahili. Mfumo huu utawezesha roboti hizo kuzungumza Kiswahili kama tunavyoongea sote, na hili ni jambo kubwa kwetu.

Kwanza, linafanya Kiswahili kuwa lugha muhimu zaidi katika eneo la akili bandia duniani na inatoa nafasi ya lugha hii kutumika popote duniani. Mfumo huu utakapokamilika, utafungua fursa kubwa za ubunifu zaidi, kwani utaweza kutengeneza modeli kwa ajili ya matumizi mbalimbali, kama vile kwa walimu, maafisa ugani, na maeneo mengine maalum. Kwa hivyo, tumepiga hatua kubwa sana, na tunaelekea vizuri.

Ningependa kueleza wale waliotuunga mkono kufikia hatua hii ya mafanikio. Wafadhili wetu wakuu ni: Huawei, UCSAF, FSDT, UNDP, UNCDF, Umoja wa Ulaya (EU), TTCL, na Liquid Technologies. Huawei amekuwa mfadhili mkuu na thabiti kwenye makongamano yote tuliyofanya. Pia, tumekuwa na maonesho kutoka kwa makampuni yafuatayo: Liquid Intelligence Technologies, Maisha Computers, e-Government Authorities (e-GA), TTCL, SoftTech Consultancy, Q-Soft, CyberGen Company Limited, FlashNet, Wizara ya Habari, Mawasiliano na Teknolojia ya Habari, UCSAF, Huawei, Isaka Tanzania Chapter, Tigo Tanzania, Tanzania Portal Authority, Shirika la Posta, Boharia ya Madawa, Umoja wa Ulaya, na Smart Africa Group.

Kongamano hili limefanikiwa pia kwa msaada wa Smart Africa Group na Bluefin Technologies, ambao wameshiriki nasi kuhakikisha kongamano linakuwa bora. Mheshimiwa Mgeni Rasmi, kuna jambo la kipekee ninalotaka kuwasilisha. Tulipata ufadhili wa aina yake kutoka UNDP, ambao uliwawezesha vijana 50 wenye startups zao kuonyesha miradi yao nje ya ukumbi. Vijana hawa wameonyesha mafanikio makubwa sana.

Ningependa kusema kwamba, pamoja na kuwa na makampuni makubwa yanayofanya maonesho, pia tumekuwa na vijana wengi wenye kampuni zao za startups hapa Tanzania, vijana hawa 50 ni miongoni mwa wengi ambao wamechukua fursa hii kubwa ya kiteknolojia nchini Tanzania na kuanzisha kampuni zao.

Ninashukuru sana kwa kunisikiliza Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu, Asante sana.

Honourable Kasim Majaliwa(MP), Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania; Honourable Jerry William Silah(MP), Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology; the Regional Commissioner who was here with us this morning and his representative; the Permanent Secretary of ICT; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen; and, most importantly, our youth community who have truly decorated this conference with their energy and innovation.

It is a great privilege and honour to stand before you at this important gathering, where we are convened not only as participants but as leaders who are committed and determined to support the youthful energies of Africa. Today, we celebrate the 8th Tanzania Annual ICT Conference of 2024, a conference that underscores our shared commitment to leveraging ICT as a powerful engine for socioeconomic transformation.

Let me begin by extending my heartfelt congratulations to the Government of Tanzania, under the leadership of Her Excellency Madam Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who is currently the only female president on the African continent. The remarkable strides Tanzania is making in moving this country forward, from the launch of the high-speed electric train system to the ongoing expansion of connectivity across the country, are a testament to what is possible when there is a clear vision, strong political will, and strategic investment.

Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to thank you personally for your results-oriented leadership, for focusing on tangible results, and for ensuring that the future is bright for Tanzania. These achievements do not only set a benchmark for the East African region but for the entire African continent. It is truly inspiring to see how Tanzania is using technology as a key enabler of sustainable development and has positioned itself on the global map as a trailblazer in digital transformation.

Dear Excellency, as I’m a messenger, I have to read the full message of His Excellency Dr. Sid Ultra, the President of BADIA. Your Excellency Kassim Majaliwa (M.P), Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Your Excellencies, honourable ministers, Her Excellence Nardos B. Thomas of AUDA-NEPAD, distinguished guests, and members of the ICT and A.I community. Dear Winners of the Competition of Intelligence and Robotics, all protocol duly respected/observed.

I have to convey the apologies of His Excellency Dr. Sid, the President of BADIA, for not being able to attend this important gathering due to engagements in Saudi Arabia. He would like to convey to the Government his high appreciation and the commitment of BADIA on this important event with a diamond sponsorship for the inaugural competition, which speaks volume of the bank’s commitment to promoting knowledge and capacity-building development for ICT Infrastructure. Your Excellency, please kindly convey our appreciation to Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of BADIA, and the United Republic of Tanzania was our first partner in 1974 with the National Maize Production Unit that we financed. Since then, we have financed numerous projects, including the Yungan Zanzibar Road Project, the Bukombe Isaka Road Project, and the State University of Zanzibar. Our cumulative portfolio of financing in Tanzania now stands at half a billion dollars by April, 2024.

In 2022 BADIA brought Saudi and Omani investors through the private window to meet the private sector community in Tanzania. BADIA’s commitment to SADC was marked by the signing of an MOU with SADC in Zimbabwe on the 15th of August 2024 in the merging of the SADC State Meeting. This signifies BADIA's legacy of financing 400 projects worth over 2 billion dollars, in addition to 8 Billion Dollars worth of projects from the Arab Coordination Group members, Islamic Development Bank among other members.

On 21st July, 2024, in the AU Meeting, BADIA launched the Arab Africa Financial Consortium under the leadership of Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo, marking our commitment to further social and economic development. A team is currently in Zanzibar financing the State University of Zanzibar, and we look forward to more projects that support Tanzania’s social and economic development.

His Excellency Dr. Sid wishes to express his high appreciation to the government of Tanzania and looks forward to financially supporting further socio-economic development projects while wishing the AI and robotics competitors success in the conference.

Finally Dr. Sid wishes the youth and the A.I competitors a successful conference.

Thank you, director of ceremonies. Honourable Kassim Majaliwa, Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, honourable Jerry William Sila, Minister of Information Communication and Information Technology, Honourable Albert Chalamila, Regional Commissioner, Madame Nardos Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency, Dr. Nkundwe Moses Mwasaga, Director General of the ICT Commission, distinguished delegates, Ma Bibi na Mabwana, Good afternoon.

It is a great honour to join you as we conclude this impactful conference under the theme Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Socioeconomic Transformation. This conference comes at a time when Tanzania is shaping its development trajectory through the formulation of the Tanzania Vision 2050, whose realisation will need to harness the power of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and robotics for its success.

As the UNDP, we are proud to have sponsored this event because we recognize that the journey toward a sustainable future demands embracing emerging technologies. AI and robotics are no longer just tools of innovation; they are enablers of development across education, health, agriculture, and beyond. They represent an opportunity to accelerate Tanzania's ambition to transition to an upper-middle-income economy.

According to recent reports, AI has the potential to boost Africa’s economy by USD $1.5 trillion, or half of the continent’s GDP. If African businesses can capture just 10% of the global AI market, Tanzania, too, stands poised to benefit from this technological revolution. This conference is evidence that Tanzania is positioning itself to be at the forefront of this revolution.

As Tanzania’s development partner, we are delighted to contribute to this endeavour. As we come to the end of this conference, let us reflect on some of the messages and takeaways emerging from the presentations, discussions, and best practices showcased over the past few days. I will pick just a couple of them. It has been extensively discussed, over the past few days, that in order to fully benefit from the AI revolution, there is a need to continue investing in robust digital infrastructure and expanding internet access in order to close the connectivity gaps, which is already happening in Tanzania, and in many places.

More importantly, the country must foster AI skills and talent development through education and training to enhance local innovation and entrepreneurship. It is also crucial to ensure inclusiveness and responsible AI use by adopting appropriate governance frameworks, which fortunately, the Government of Tanzania is already putting in place.

Tanzania could also benefit from leveraging AI for key sectors, that i have mentioned, including tourism, to improve productivity and service delivery. Finally, establishing partnerships and collaborations with players in the private sector and academia, in Tanzania and other countries, will be essential to sustain innovation.

I am glad this conference has brought many delegates from outside Tanzania to learn and share experiences from their own countries.

As I conclude my brief remarks, let me emphasise that this conference has only provided a platform for engagement, exchange of ideas, and partnerships. But real action lies ahead and outside this conference room. In this regard, honourable Prime Minister, UNDP stands ready to continue working with all partners and the Government to ensure that Tanzania reaps the full benefits of these technologies through implementation of real initiatives on the ground, building on the work we are already doing in the country.

For instance, with the support of our partners at the European Union, UKFC, and others, UNDP, through its Funguo program, is enabling innovative ventures to refine their business models and scale them up. A few of these, including Mtab, SmartCo in Education, Kilimo Melo, and Mazao Hub in agriculture leveraging the power of AI to accelerate development in their respective sectors.

Our Accelerator Lab in Zanzibar is applying AI to analyse tourist sentiment data in real-time, helping the tourism sector to make data-driven decisions for better resource management. Our goal is to foster inclusive, responsible, and impactful digital transformation where AI empowers everyone, leaving no one behind.

I therefore look forward to continuing this journey with all of you as part of UNDP, building a future where AI and robotics drive Tanzania’s socioeconomic progress. Thank you.