Developing economies must harness artificial intelligence for inclusive growth and sustainable development through concrete global partnerships. State Minister of Finance, Tiguist Fisseha advanced this core message while participating in a closed-door AI roundtable alongside senior representatives from the World Bank, the IMF, and the Gates Foundation during the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings.

Digital transformation and artificial intelligence are now central pillars of Ethiopia's national development strategy. State Minister Tiguist highlighted this strategic focus by pointing to key national milestones, including the founding of the Ethiopia AI Institute in 2019 and the launch of the AI University in early 2026.

Africa must actively participate across the entire artificial intelligence value chain. This vital insight was shared by Tiguist, who stressed the necessity of building local capacity to adapt, deploy, and develop AI solutions tailored specifically to African challenges, local data, and native languages.

Ethiopia stands fully ready to collaborate with international partners on artificial intelligence, regional integration, and effective regulatory frameworks. The State Minister concluded by urging the World Bank and other key development stakeholders to extend active support to Ethiopia's AI Institute and University.