South Africa's Ramaphosa visits US to explore AI opportunities

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has embarked on a week-long visit to the United States, focusing on artificial intelligence and its potential benefits for his country. The trip, which began on November 14, comes at a time when relations between Pretoria and Washington have deteriorated over policy disputes. Ramaphosa is leading a delegation to Silicon Valley in California from November 15 to 21, comprising government officials, business leaders, researchers, students, and technical experts.

The visit follows Washington's announcement that South Africa would be excluded from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from January 1, raising concerns over potential job losses in an economy already grappling with weak growth and high unemployment. The exclusion has added pressure on Ramaphosa's administration to strengthen economic ties with other countries. During his visit, Ramaphosa is expected to explore opportunities for South Africa to position itself as a competitive AI hub on the continent.

The South African presidency said that AI presents significant opportunities to improve productivity, strengthen public service delivery, stimulate economic growth, and support the creation of new industries and employment opportunities. Potential applications in South Africa include healthcare, education, criminal justice, public administration, and public procurement. The delegation will engage with US experts and industry leaders to explore ways to harness AI for the benefit of South Africa.

Relations between Pretoria and Washington have deteriorated over policy disputes ranging from race and trade to foreign affairs. The United States has cut aid programmes, imposed tariffs, and offered asylum to white Afrikaners over false claims of a "genocide" that South Africa has repeatedly rejected as unfounded. Ramaphosa's visit is seen as an attempt to ease tensions and strengthen economic ties with the US.

According to spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa left for the US on November 13, but it is unclear whether he informed US President Joe Biden of the visit before departing. The presidency said that Ramaphosa's delegation includes a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, business leaders, researchers, students, and technical experts.

The visit is expected to focus on exploring opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of AI. South Africa is keen to leverage US expertise and technology to drive innovation and economic growth. The country has made significant strides in recent years to develop its AI capabilities, but it still lags behind other countries in terms of infrastructure and investment.

Ramaphosa's visit to the US comes at a critical time for South Africa, as the country seeks to address its economic challenges and strengthen its position on the continent. The outcome of the visit is expected to have significant implications for South Africa's economic development and its relations with the US. Key areas of focus include improving productivity, stimulating economic growth, and creating new industries and employment opportunities through AI.

Key points

• Ramaphosa's visit aims to strengthen economic ties with the US and explore AI opportunities.
• South Africa is excluded from AGOA from January 1, raising concerns over job losses.
• The visit focuses on leveraging US expertise and technology to drive innovation and economic growth.