South Africa Absent from World Bank's AI Strategy Map Following Policy Withdrawal

South Africa has been conspicuously omitted from the World Bank's global map of countries possessing a national AI strategy. This exclusion, highlighted in the World Development Report 2026, directly stems from the withdrawal of South Africa's draft AI policy in April. The policy, which contained fictitious references likely generated by AI, was deemed compromised, leading to its retraction by Communications Minister Solly Malatsi.

This situation places South Africa, an upper-middle-income economy with a significant technology sector, in an unusual position. While over 80 countries globally have published AI strategies, and even low-income nations like Rwanda have one, South Africa currently lacks a formal framework. An independent expert panel has been appointed to reconstruct the policy, with a revised draft not expected until late 2026 or early 2027.

The World Bank report also critiques South Africa's infrastructure, particularly its chronic load shedding, as a deterrent to large-scale AI investment, contrasting with the country's recent approval of new hyperscale data centers. Despite South African institutions contributing to the report, the nation is assessed without a published national AI strategy, underscoring the critical need for reliable electricity, broadband, and foundational literacy to leverage AI effectively.