APA Conference Concludes with General Assembly and Commitment to Digital Transformation in African Prosecution Services
The final day of the 18th Annual Conference and General Assembly of Members of the Africa Prosecutors’ Association continued with substantive deliberations on the role of emerging technologies in enhancing prosecutorial efficiency. The Third Panel, titled “Introduction of Other Emerging Technologies in the Efficiency of Functions Performed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office”, featured presentations from Angola, Mozambique, Egypt and Nigeria. The panel addressed the application of blockchain beyond cryptocurrencies, the use of big data in criminal justice systems, and digital data governance.
Thereafter, APA Member States convened the General Assembly of Members, which provided an important platform for institutional reflection, strategic dialogue and consideration of the Association’s future priorities. The General Assembly reaffirmed APA’s commitment to strengthening cooperation among prosecution agencies, improving institutional governance and advancing the effective use of technology in justice delivery.
The Conference was officially closed by President of the Africa Prosecutors’ Association, Hon. Renson M. Ingonga, CBS, OGW, who commended the Republic of Angola for its warm hospitality and excellent hosting of the Conference. In his closing remarks, Mr. Ingonga noted that the Conference had provided a timely opportunity for African prosecutors to reflect on Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, big data and other technologies as tools for strengthening prosecution services.
He reiterated that “technological innovation is not a luxury but a necessity for modern prosecution services”.
He further emphasised that as prosecution agencies embrace digital transformation, they must remain anchored in due process, fairness and human rights. He observed that efficiency must never come at the expense of justice, and that innovation must continue to serve the public interest while strengthening prosecutorial independence and integrity.
The Conference concluded with renewed commitment by APA Member States to develop capacity-building programmes on digital literacy, strengthen regional cooperation in cybercrime investigations, cross-border data exchange and asset recovery, and establish monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of emerging technologies on prosecutorial efficiency and access to justice.
