Earlier this month, I had the privilege of being featured on Ubuntu Radio, the official broadcasting platform of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). As a Tunisian woman, an AI ethicist, and Vice President of the Agence Francophone de l’Intelligence Artificielle (AFRIA), it was a moment that allowed me to reflect not only on our continental digital journey but also on Tunisia’s critical place within it. ( Link of the podcast )
🇹🇳 Tunisia Is My Foundation: A Digital Legacy Worth Sharing
I am deeply proud of my Tunisian identity. Tunisia is not just my homeland — it’s a pioneer in digital innovation across the Maghreb and the broader African continent.
From early digital ID systems to open government platforms, e-health reforms, and legal protections for data privacy, Tunisia laid some of the earliest stones for digital transformation in Africa. We are a country of thinkers, builders, and bridge-makers — strategically positioned between Africa, Europe, and the Arab world.
My commitment to digital rights and ethical AI was born here — in a society where civic engagement, freedom of expression, and tech innovation coexist in a complex, often fragile, democracy. That lived experience taught me a fundamental truth: technology is never neutral, and neither is its governance.
🔐 Digital Sovereignty: Not Just a Right, But a Responsibility
On Ubuntu Radio, we began with the question of digital sovereignty — a term that is often misunderstood or reduced to mere infrastructure talk. For me, digital sovereignty is about more than keeping servers on the continent or passing privacy laws. It’s about political agency, economic independence, and cultural self-determination.
African nations — including Tunisia and South Africa — are rich in data, creativity, and technical talent. Yet our platforms, algorithms, and decision systems are still largely imported, with little room for contextual adaptation or ethical alignment.
If we allow foreign entities to define the standards, control the data flows, and dominate the cloud space, we risk becoming digital colonies in our own lands. This is why I continue to advocate for a Pan-African framework for digital sovereignty — one that protects our data while fueling our innovation.
⚖️ Ethical AI: From Ubuntu to the Medina
My work at AFRIA (Agence Francophone de l’Intelligence Artificielle) focuses heavily on the intersection of AI policy, cultural values, and justice. On Ubuntu Radio, I stressed that ethical AI must be built locally and governed locally.
I believe we need a model of AI ethics that combines:
- Ubuntu, the Southern African principle of shared humanity and collective good
- Tunisian civic values, rooted in justice, equity, and democratic discourse
- Pan-African feminism, to confront algorithmic patriarchy and gender bias
It is not enough to borrow Western ethical frameworks. Africa must lead the world in designing AI that reflects our values, languages, and moral traditions. AI should serve our communities, not monitor or exploit them.
I proposed an African Charter for Ethical AI, co-authored by governments, technologists, civil society leaders, and the very communities impacted by automation.
🤝 Inclusion as Design Principle, Not Afterthought
One of the deepest threads in my work is digital inclusion, especially for women and rural communities. On air, I spoke about how Africa’s tech boom risks reproducing old inequalities — unless we radically reframe how inclusion is implemented.
In Tunisia, women are at the forefront of coding, research, and innovation — but many remain excluded from funding opportunities, decision-making platforms, and policy circles. This story is echoed across Francophone and Anglophone Africa.
To close the divide, we must:
- Support women-led AI startups
- Localize platforms in African languages and dialects
- Bring tech training to rural and underserved communities
- Protect digital rights for youth, migrants, and marginalized voices
Inclusion must be part of the design stage, the policy process, and the measurement frameworks. It’s not a checkbox — it’s the blueprint.
🛠️ System Downtime and Public Trust
I was asked about the South African Home Affairs system outages and the government’s move away from SITA. I appreciated the chance to draw parallels with Tunisia’s own experiences in digital infrastructure.
When a national system fails — whether it’s for IDs, grants, or health records — it shakes public confidence. People begin to distrust digital solutions altogether. In a continent where digital literacy and access are still uneven, this is a dangerous trend.
I emphasized that digital trust is earned, not assumed. Governments must invest not only in infrastructure, but in:
- Redundancy systems
- Cybersecurity frameworks
- Crisis communication
- And above all, citizen feedback loops
Digital services must work every time — and when they don’t, they must be accountable.
📊 A Unified African Data Policy: From Aspiration to Action
One of the most powerful parts of the conversation was envisioning an AU-led data governance framework. This is not a theoretical ideal — it is an economic, political, and ethical necessity.
Our continent must no longer be a raw data exporter. We must be:
- The owners of our data
- The governors of its use
- The beneficiaries of its economic value
I called for a harmonized data protection law, a continental Data Authority, and the drafting of an African Charter on Data Justice — one that centers consent, equity, and self-determination.
Tunisia is ready to support this initiative, leveraging our legal expertise, civil society capacity, and North African diplomatic reach.
🤖 African Intelligence: Our Narrative, Our Code
I ended the conversation with a vision I’ve been carrying for years: AI should no longer stand for Artificial Intelligence alone — it should stand for African Intelligence.
This means:
- AI that speaks our languages and understands our communities
- Models trained on African realities, not just Western datasets
- Innovation that solves problems in agriculture, health, education — on our terms
- AI literacy for youth from Sfax to Soweto, from Dakar to Durban
I envision an Africa where we no longer adapt to global tech — we shape it. Where our ethics, creativity, and collaboration define the digital era.
🌟 Final Reflection: Ubuntu Meets Carthage
My appearance on Ubuntu Radio reminded me that Pan-African digital unity is not a dream — it’s a responsibility. As a Tunisian and as an African, I am honored to play my part in crafting a just, sovereign, and inclusive digital future for our continent.
This work is not easy. But we do not inherit the future — we build it. And we build it with code, care, culture, and courage.
