MUGERE, April 24 (ABP) – The ministry of finance, budget and digital economy, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), concluded on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, the session organized as part of the validation of the national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.
This document aims to guide, structure and promote the use of AI in order to accelerate the country’s development. It also seeks to modern ize key sectors and strengthen human capacities without replacing them.
According to Charles Ndayishimiye, a lecturer at the University of Burundi within the Higher Institute of Commerce (ISCO), this strategy defines the directions for a controlled and effective use of AI in key sectors such as health, education, agriculture and livestock farming.
He emphasized that this approach is also part of a context of rapid technological transformation, which has become a key driver of economic and social development.
Planned for the period 2026-2030, he indicated, the strategy places particular emphasis on youth involvement and the promotion of entrepreneurship. It aims to stimulate local innovation and improve productivity through the integration of modern technologies, in line with national priorities.
In this regard, he called on Burundian youth to take their entrepreneurial initiatives to the next level by leveraging the opportunities offered by digital technology to creat e, innovate and position themselves in competitive markets.
Mr. Ndayishimiye noted that, despite the rise of AI, experts insist on the central role of humans. AI does not replace human capabilities but rather strengthens and supports them.
He specified that Burundians therefore remain the main actors of development, supported by technological tools serving national progress.
For his part, the Director General in charge of the digital economy program, Salvator Nshimirimana, thanked all stakeholders and invited them to remain mobilized for the next steps of the process.
After discussions and the sharing of experiences, stakeholders from the ICT sector, representatives of various public and private sector services, civil society and academia unanimously adopted and validated the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy of Burundi 2026-2030 (SNIA).