Distinguished Speech by Elisabeth Moreno
Representative of the Boston Global Forum for France and Africa
The 4th Shinzo Abe Conference
The Okura Tokyo, March 28, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished guests,
Dear partners and friends from across the globe,
It is both an honor and a responsibility to speak to you today—as the representative of the Boston Global Forum for France and Africa—on this historic occasion, at the heart of Tokyo, at the close of the 4th Shinzo Abe Conference.
Although I join you from a distance, my voice carries with it the aspirations of two continents—Europe and Africa—united by a shared belief: that technology must serve people, not the other way around.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe understood this better than most.
He envisioned a hope-driven economy, where innovation was not just a tool for growth—but a catalyst for stability, dignity, and democratic resilience.
Today, we gather to build on his legacy through the bold vision of Government 24/7: AI and Finance Platforms.
This is not just about digitizing public services.
It is about reimagining governance.
It is about creating governments that are responsive, resilient, and relentlessly human.
Because no citizen should ever be told:
“Come back tomorrow.”
Not when their rights, their health, or their future is at stake.
And certainly not when technology allows us to respond instantly, equitably, and transparently.
The AIWS Government 24/7 platform embodies this vision:
- A public finance system that never sleeps—designed to empower governments and uplift citizens.
- A platform where AI supports tax services, benefits distribution, fraud detection, and even personalized financial planning—not just for the privileged few, but for every citizen, including those historically excluded.
As a woman who was born in Africa, raised in Europe, and who has served in the highest levels of government and business, I can tell you this:
Digital transformation without inclusion is just another form of exclusion.
We cannot build Government 24/7 unless we build trust 24/7.
Trust in AI.
Trust in institutions.
Trust in one another.
That is why ethics must be the backbone of this transformation:
- Transparency, so that every decision is open and auditable.
- Accountability, so that algorithms do not replace judgment, but assist it.
- Equity, so that even the most vulnerable—on every continent—are not left behind.
- And sustainability, because our financial systems must serve future generations, not just quarterly results.
This is especially urgent for Africa, a continent full of youth, energy, and untapped potential.
AI and finance platforms can unlock unprecedented opportunities—but only if we design them to be inclusive by default.
And as we design the future, let us not forget the lessons of the past.
It was once said—by Nobel laureate Henry Kissinger:
“Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world.”
But today, we must go beyond control.
In an era of AI and global interdependence, the question is no longer who controls— but rather, who takes responsibility.
Responsibility to empower, not dominate.
To serve, not surveil.
To unite, not divide.
Because the true power of technology lies not in what it can do, but in what we choose to do with it.
As Shinzo Abe once said:
“The future is not something we enter. It is something we create.”
Let us create it—together—with courage, clarity, and care.
Let us build a Government 24/7 that reflects not only the power of AI, but the best of our humanity.
Thank you and I wish you all the very best.
