AI strategy aims to develop digitally skilled citizens

The West African nation of Mauritania has announced its first national strategy for artificial intelligence (AI), aimed at, among others, building a knowledge-based society and promoting the development of a future generation of digitally skilled citizens.

This was announced at a consultative workshop about a national strategy for artificial intelligence organised earlier in March by the ministries of digital transformation, innovation and modernisation of administration and higher education and scientific research.

The AI strategy is in line with the government’s implementation plan for its National Digital Transformation Agenda.

The agenda focuses on developing digital infrastructure and promoting an innovation-based economy, as well as its five-year implementation plan for its strategy for research and innovation and the 10-year strategy for higher education, that jointly focus on making research and innovation a lever for socio-economic transformation as well as for producing the scientific workforce for developing a knowledge economy.

Key elements of the AI strategy

The national strategy in the field of AI is based on four basic axes.

These include building the technical infrastructure that supports AI applications, such as fast and reliable communications networks and cloud infrastructure and developing specialised educational and training programmes in the field of AI to qualify local workers and increase their efficiency.

Under the strategy, practical uses in key sectors will be promoted in which AI can contribute to improve services and enhance productivity, including health, higher education, agriculture and water.
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In addition, scientific research and innovation in the field of AI will be promoted by providing financial support and facilities to research institutions and emerging companies.

AI as a tool for achieving SDGs

Mohamed Yeslem Elbagher, a former Mauritanian researcher at the University of Nouakchott, welcomed the new AI strategy.

“The AI strategy is a good start for improving the weak AI capabilities through developing digital skills, capacity-building, innovation and start-ups to contribute to sustainable development and to bring about positive societal change for Mauritanians through promoting the applications of big data, machine learning, autonomous systems, computer vision and intelligent decision support systems in socio-economic sectors,” Elbagher told University World News.

Elbagher’s view is supported by the 2023 Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index (AIRI) which indicated that Mauritania ranked 168 out of 193 indexed countries.

Among the top 30 Sub-Saharan African countries, Mauritania ranked 28th after Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The index, issued by global consulting firm Oxford Insights and the International Development Research Centre, measures the extent of governments’ willingness to use AI technologies by assessing their governance, infrastructure and data, skills and education, and government and public services.

A 2023 study titled ‘Artificial Intelligence and the Sustainable Development Goals: An exploratory study in the context of the society domain’, noted that the responsible, safe, and ethical usage of AI contributes positively to achieving the United Nations established 17 global Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs that address poverty, protect the environment, and ensure prosperity for all.

Challenges and the way forward

Professor Atta-ur-Rahman, a UNESCO Science Prize laureate and former coordinator general of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation within the 57-country Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which includes Mauritania, told University World News: “A national AI strategy must be backed by necessary funding by the Mauritanian government for its implementation.

“Therefore, it should have a time-bound action plan and the commitment from the government [to provide the] finances needed for its implementation,” Atta-ur-Rahman stressed.

“Universities and higher education institutions need to design comprehensive and up-to-date curricula that cover foundational concepts, advanced techniques and emerging trends in AI,” Atta-ur-Rahman added.

“This includes integrating courses on machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, ethics in AI, and other relevant topics to provide students with a well-rounded understanding of AI.

“The biggest challenge for Mauritania will be to find highly qualified faculty,” Atta-ur-Rahman pointed out.

“This can be developed over five to 10 years, by sending thousands of students abroad for PhD and postdoctoral studies, but most of them will prefer to remain abroad because of relatively low salary structures at home and the huge demand and excellent salaries offered in the advanced countries for well-trained professionals in this rapidly emerging field,” Atta-ur-Rahman explained.

“For people across MENA (Middle East and North Africa), migration remains an option, especially for the younger, better educated generations, mainly to escape economic hardships,” stated a 2022 report, Public Views of Migration in MENA, which indicated that 18% of surveyed Mauritanians are considering emigrating.

“Mauritania must, therefore, improve institutional governance and the efficiency of higher learning institutions to produce AI-ready graduates and emphasise the requirements to cultivate local talent and make itself attractive for retaining skilled professionals,” Atta-ur-Rahman emphasised.

“Mauritania could also make use of the recently launched academic diaspora platform called MARAM, “to enable AI-focused Mauritanian researchers working abroad to support the implementation of the AI national strategy.”