Paris Peace Forum

The Paris Peace Forum is an annual event that started in 2018 in Paris, France. It was created to remember 100 years since the end of World War I. The goal of this forum is to bring people together from all over the world to talk about and find solutions to big global problems. This includes leaders from different countries, experts from organizations, businesses, and schools. They discuss many important topics like peace, how to help countries grow, taking care of the environment, new technology, and making the economy fair for everyone. The forum not only talks about these issues but also shows different projects that are trying to solve these problems. It usually happens in November every year. The forum keeps working all year to make sure the ideas and projects they talk about really happen and make a difference. This event is all about working together with people from different places to solve big world problems.

Goals of Paris peace forum:

The main goals of the Paris Peace Forum are to:
• Promote Global Cooperation: It aims to foster international collaboration and dialogue among various stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector.
• Address Global Challenges: The forum focuses on tackling key international issues such as climate change, peace and security, development, global health, and the digital revolution.
• Support Innovative Projects: It showcases and advances innovative projects and initiatives that offer solutions to pressing global problems.
• Strengthen Multilateralism: The forum seeks to reinforce the importance and effectiveness of multilateral action in a time when international cooperation is often challenged.
• Facilitate Action and Implementation: Beyond discussion and debate, the forum emphasizes the importance of taking concrete actions and implementing solutions to the challenges discussed.

The sixth edition of the Paris Peace Forum, which began on 10th November 2023 in Paris, addresses a variety of global challenges, including climate change and migration. A key focus of this year’s event is on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in development, especially in Africa. Despite issues like high costs for internet access and low internet penetration, experts emphasize the importance of adopting and integrating AI into daily practices now, rather than waiting for perfect conditions.

Sally Bilaly Sow from Guinea Check highlighted the need for immediate adoption of AI and raising awareness of its positive aspects. Steve Mengn, from Cameroon, pointed out the challenges in remote African villages, such as lack of networks and electricity, which hinder AI’s impact. However, in areas with better connectivity, AI has great potential to transform sectors like health and agriculture with applications designed for specific local needs.
Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J McGovern Foundation, expressed inspiration by the AI advancements across the continent, citing examples from Morocco, South Africa, and Senegal, the latter of which recently introduced a national AI strategy.

The discussions at the Paris Peace Forum underscore the critical role of AI in development, particularly in Africa. However, there’s a need for global cooperation to balance technological innovation with responsibility, ensuring that AI benefits are extended to areas that currently lack the necessary infrastructure. This approach aligns with the forum’s broader goal of addressing global challenges through collaborative and innovative solutions.