African Union Agenda 2063: Digital Development in the Age of Digital Coloniality

Abstract  
This paper examines the African Union's Agenda 2063 in the digital domain, focusing on 
digital coloniality. It argues that Ubuntu and decolonial methodologies can promote 
equitable and sustainable digital development. The concept indicates that global digital 
networks reinforce historical power imbalances, limiting African technological agency 
(Bon et al., 2021). Digital coloniality involves re-assessing imported technological 
frameworks that often conflict with indigenous African epistemologies and communal 
values (Stam, 2021). The goal is to generate insights and provide recommendations for 
the multilateral organisation, academia, and stakeholders. The study is based on a 
conceptual framework of Ubuntu and decoloniality, which serve as pathways for fair and 
sustainable technological progress, representing a significant contribution to knowledge 
for the AU. The conceptual approach employs a comparative desktop research analysis, 
the findings show that a Western-European-centric approach still dominates the 
development and implementation of technology frameworks, perpetuating dependency 
cycles and further undermining the development and deployment of context-appropriate 
technology, including artificial intelligence. Therefore, the research advocates for a 
collective strategy for technology development and deployment that is rooted in African 
values and effectively addresses African challenges.