Algeria’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki participated in a high-level meeting on AI governance in telecommunications on the sidelines of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, using the occasion to outline the country’s ambitions to become a regional technology hub.
The meeting was organized by the United Nations Development Programme and the GSM Association. In his remarks, Zerrouki reviewed Algeria’s efforts to strengthen its position as a link between Europe, Africa and Arab countries through investments in telecommunications infrastructure, the accelerated deployment of 5G networks, the development of a national AI ecosystem and the launch of a five-year national cybersecurity strategy.
Zerrouki said the primary challenge facing AI is institutional rather than technical. “The real challenge in the field of artificial intelligence is primarily institutional,” he said, adding that governance of the technology is “a fundamental factor in ensuring it serves as an engine for economic progress and digital inclusion.”
He also emphasized that building trust and establishing clear governance frameworks are essential conditions for enabling innovation and ensuring AI contributes meaningfully to economic and social development.
