Disinformation and propaganda pose a threat to public trust, cohesion, and security. Foreign actors are leveraging digital tools and technologies, including social media networks, to expand their disinformation and propaganda tactics and to increase their influence within African countries.
Meanwhile, terrorist and violent extremist groups propagate false narratives to gain recruits and to influence civilian populations. We need technology solutions to better understand, expose, and counter these threats.
The U.S. – Africa Tech Challenge invites technologists from across Africa to apply to present their solutions against disinformation and propaganda to an audience of government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders.
Up to eight organizations will be chosen to demo their technology. Up to three organizations will be selected as winners of the Challenge and will receive funding totalling $250,000 USD.
The U.S. – Africa Tech Challenge is sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), in partnership with U.S. Embassy Nairobi, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Twitter, Park Advisors, and East Africa Com.
In announcing the Tech Challenge, Patricia Watts, Director of the Technology Engagement Team at the GEC, stated that these Tech Challenges are part of the GEC’s mission to “engage international partners in identifying and implementing effective tech solutions to counter propaganda and disinformation.”
She also noted that the U.S. – Africa Tech Challenge will engage civil society partners in the region to ensure that the solutions put forth are directly applicable to on-the-ground civil society realities.
The Tech Challenge Seeks Innovative Solutions to Counter Disinformation
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S.-Africa Tech Challenge is being held as a two-part virtual event. Part I will take place virtually in April 2021 where the selected organizations will be given up to 25 minutes to present their solution to a closed audience, followed by a question and answer session from a panel of judges.
Part II will take place on the margins of East Africa Com on 11-12 May 2021, where the winner(s) will be announced.
Because this Tech Challenge aims to advance the development of promising and innovative technologies against disinformation and propaganda across Africa, only submissions from companies headquartered in Africa will be considered.
Interested parties are encouraged to email africatechchallenge@
Watch the video below to hear from the experts on the Tech Challenge to come
Also read: 20% of African Population to be Vaccinated by end of 2021 According to WHO