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.