Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA (EI): The United Nations Economic and Africa (UNECA) and Google have launched the Regional Data Commons for Africa, a new AI-powered public data infrastructure that aims to unify Africa’s fragmented statistical systems for better policymaking.
The initiative, backed by a 750,000 USD Google contribution, was announced in Addis Ababa during a recent high-level review between UNECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete and Google Vice President Doron Avni, the UNECA disclosed in a statement.
A flagship project jointly led by UNECA and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Data Commons will integrate high-impact datasets from across Africa. Google.org provides both financial and technical support, including its Data Commons technology, it was noted.
The initiative is expected to directly tackle the persistent fragmentation of Africa’s statistical ecosystem. Limited interoperability, weak infrastructure, and uneven institutional capacity have long hindered the production and timely use of policy-relevant data.
Beyond data integration, the initiative will build thematic analytical hubs and support automated policy brief generation. It also aims to modernize statistical production systems within national statistical offices for greater efficiency.
UNECA’s Claver Gatete emphasized the initiative’s importance, stating, “For Africa to drive sustainable development, evidence-based policymaking is indispensable. This effort is a crucial step forward to empower African institutions with data.”
The new data project is said to be part of Google’s broader 2.25 million USD commitment to strengthening Africa’s public data infrastructure for AI. The goal is to enhance the continent’s ability to generate, share, and apply high-quality data.
The partnership also focuses on talent development, having supported over 40,000 students through robotics programs. Both entities reaffirmed their commitment to advancing an inclusive and ethical digital transformation for the continent, according to the UNECA.
