In recent months, I have been thinking a lot about the ethics that should guide the development and deployment of modern technology. A lot can be said about getting the foundation right to realise the ultimate purpose of technology - which is to benefit human beings and the world in which we live. The lens through which we view technology, will ultimately determine the lens through which we create it. Naturally, the lenses can take varying forms. They can be philosophical, ideological, political, ethical or moral perspectives. Whichever perspective one chooses should ensure a better life for all. Say, then, we make the correct choice and we manage to create technology that serves that ultimate goal. Does it go without saying that the result will be just that? In other words, say we create technology which understands that umuntu, ngumuntu ngabantu, and which seeks to protect that ethic, what happens when it is deployed? What happens when human beings, beautiful a...
Cyril Ramophosa's meeting with Donald Trump provides an opportunity to reflect on what Africans can achieve in this churning global order. Claims about America’s declining hegemony have become widespread in the 21st century. However, it is notable when the US executive branch repeatedly says it will cease to be a dependable partner in security or commerce. The present administration appears intent on dismantling the international rules-based order, generating significant uncertainty for markets and states alike. No hegemonic power is poised to take over. Although diversification and de-dollarization are occurring to some extent, the dollar’s position as the primary reserve currency remains secure due to strong network effects. Even so, the world may never be the same again. These are some of the initial conditions for thinking about what Africans can and wish to accomplish in the next decade in international governance. Asserting Africa’s Place in the World To assert their p...