Sam George Urges Africa to Speak With One Voice in Global Digital Negotiations

According to a report by Channel One News published on November 3, 2026, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has urged African countries to speak with one voice in global digital negotiations to strengthen the continent’s influence over decisions shaping the future of technology.

Speaking at the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum on Tuesday, November 3, Samuel Nartey George warned that divisions among African countries could weaken their ability to influence global digital governance, standards and policies.

He argued that Africa must move beyond simply adopting rules developed elsewhere and become an active participant in shaping the regulations governing emerging technologies.

“In global digital negotiations, a divided Africa is easy to ignore. A united Africa cannot be,” he said.

Samuel Nartey George stressed that continental unity did not mean every country had to adopt identical policies. Instead, African nations could maintain their individual approaches while agreeing on shared objectives, common standards and positions on issues affecting the continent.

He also invoked the words of former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, who emphasised the importance of African unity in ensuring that the continent is not disregarded in international affairs.

The minister further highlighted Ghana’s position as chair of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Communication and Information and Communications Technology (AU STC-CICT) for the 2026–2028 term.

He said Ghana was prepared to present the outcomes of the forum to the African Union to ensure that discussions translated into practical action.

Samuel Nartey George urged participants to use the gathering to identify challenges that African countries could address collectively, assign responsibilities and establish measurable targets for assessing progress.

His remarks come as African countries seek greater influence over international discussions on artificial intelligence, data governance, digital trade and internet regulation.

The minister maintained that coordinated engagement would give Africa a stronger voice in decisions that could shape its digital economy and technological development.

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