September 26, 2024, New York City

President Ruto has announced that the Government of Kenya will host the Global Data Festival in 2026, to catalyze global progress on data, technology, and AI for economic and social progress. The festival will be organized with the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, a network of 700+ organizations from across a range of sectors and regions, using data to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Ruto said: 

We have an opportunity to build trust, and work together for a brighter, fairer future, especially for our next generations. That’s why Kenya is proud to host a Global Data Festival, in May 2026 with the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. This will be a golden moment to maximize the new opportunities of data, AI, and technology for Africa and the rest of the world.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J Mohammed, who is co-chair of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data’s Board, said:

Reliable data is crucial to digital transformations and AI technologies. I congratulate Kenya and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data on bringing together the global community to accelerate progress to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.

This announcement demonstrates Kenya’s leadership in data, tech, and AI - fast becoming known as the Silicon Savannah. Kenya was one of the three African nations to sign the Bletchley Declaration at the UK’s AI Safety Summit and is leading the way with a National AI Strategy and Code of Practice currently in development.

The ever-changing and expanding data ecosystem is ripe for innovation, making international dialogue and cooperation more important than ever. The Global Data Festival will welcome three thousand domestic and international delegates, fostering new partnerships, and providing a platform for critical debate, peer exchange, and learning.

For media enquiries please contact Ruby Richardson rurichardson@data4sdgs.org