Kenya, Italy strengthen ties through launch of AI Hub for sustainable development
- For Kenya, it is not just about leveraging AI but ensuring it anchors the green economy and the bottom-up economic transformation agenda
The Government of Italy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with African nations including Kenya, have co-designed the Artificial Intelligence Hub for Sustainable Development, set to be inaugurated in Rome on June 20, 2025.
The announcement was made during a high-level visit to Kenya by Fausta Bergamotto, Undersecretary of State, Ministry for Enterprises and Made in Italy, signaling deeper cooperation between Italy and Kenya in the AI sector.
Speaking at the event in Nairobi, Ambassador Philip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology, Office of the President of Kenya, emphasized AI’s transformative potential saying that artificial intelligence is redefining how we live, learn, and work.
“For Kenya, it is not just about leveraging AI but ensuring it anchors the green economy and the bottom-up economic transformation agenda,” said Thigo.
Bergamotto explained the strategic role the AI Hub will play, saying, “This is a new model of cooperation. We believe Africa can be a global surprise if enabled to unlock its incredible resources. The AI Hub will support computing infrastructure, local expertise, and sustainable data systems—key ingredients for an inclusive AI ecosystem,” she stated.
The Rome-based hub will coordinate private sector investments, technical capacity building, and data sharing across the continent. It also aims to bolster local ecosystems through accelerators and partnerships with universities, governments, and startups.
Highlighting Kenya’s growing prominence as a regional digital leader, Bergamotto added, “Kenya has all the numbers to become a regional computing hub—with its expanding data center network, advanced international connectivity, and flourishing startup ecosystem. We are happy to have Kenya play a central role in the governance of the Hub, alongside the African Development Bank, European Commission, and Italian Government.”
As part of the visit, two public events were held in Nairobi: a Compute Dialogue featuring global green computing companies and an Ecosystem Meeting hosted by the E4Impact Foundation in Karen, aimed at supporting local startups through Italian-funded initiatives.
The Green Compute Coalition co-designed by Alliance4AI, Axum, Kytabu, and Italian supercomputing center Cineca was also spotlighted. It will promote environmentally sustainable AI infrastructures aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“We must ensure that Africa’s AI ecosystem grows in harmony with global sustainability objectives. Kenya’s contribution, through partners like Axum and Kytabu, will be fundamental,” Bergamotto concluded.
With the AI Hub, Italy and its G7 and G20 partners seek to position Africa not just as a beneficiary but a co-creator in the global AI landscape—reshaping industrial value chains and unlocking sustainable, inclusive development across the continent.
