Eswatini and AICE Africa Launch AI Safety and Standards Centre of Excellence

The Eswatini Standards Authority has partnered with the Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence Africa to establish a regional AI Safety and Standards Centre of Excellence, according to Capital FM. Announced at a gathering in late October, the initiative aims to build institutional capacity across Southern Africa and the wider continent to evaluate, govern, and certify emerging artificial intelligence technologies.

The initiative focuses on addressing Africa's reliance on evaluation frameworks created abroad, which often fail to account for local languages, contextual nuances, and regional infrastructure conditions, according to project organisers. The partnership plans to establish a dedicated testing laboratory to evaluate algorithmic systems, while compiling an African AI Standards Baseline Report to guide public bodies, private enterprises, and standardisation authorities.

According to ESWASA Executive Director Ncamiso Mhlanga, the national body will initially upgrade its internal technical capabilities before expanding testing and auditing expertise to sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and finance. The centre intends to align continental practices with international benchmarks, including the ISO/IEC 42001 framework for AI management systems and ISO/IEC 23894 for AI risk management. AICE Africa Chief Executive John Kamara highlighted that regional technological sovereignty requires institutions that can independently test and govern the tools used in public administration and industry.

What it means

Developing homegrown testing infrastructure allows African nations to establish governance guardrails grounded in regional realities rather than adopting external regulatory definitions without alteration. The initiative strengthens the ability of developing states to assert institutional sovereignty over automated platforms shaping vital public services.