POPVOX Foundation Launches Digital Parliaments Project in Africa
Regional collaboration to strengthen legislative institutions across the continent, in collaboration with the House Democracy Partnership, hosted by the Parliament of Ghana
ACCRA, GHANA — On August 5, 2026, POPVOX Foundation, in collaboration with the House Democracy Partnership, launched the Digital Parliaments Project in Africa during a ceremony hosted by the Parliament of Ghana. The expansion marks the third regional launch of the DPP, following the Caribbean in 2025 and the Western Balkans earlier this year.
The event brought together parliamentary staff and institutional leaders from across the continent, including representatives from Ghana, the US Congress, The Gambia, Senegal, Botswana, South Africa, and the Pan-African Parliament, as well as Parliamentary Network Africa and AFRIPAL (The Africa Regional Convening on Parliament and Legislation).
The Digital Parliaments Project, a POPVOX Foundation initiative, was inspired by parliamentarians and staff who highlighted the need for knowledge-sharing and best practices as institutions digitize and standardize their legislative documents in the AI era.
Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Clerk to the Parliament of Ghana, officially welcomed the international attendees during the DPP ceremony. During remarks, he said "Ghana is the center of the world,” a nod to the country’s geographic position as the country closest to 0° latitude, 0° longitude, the intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian, and “therefore exactly where conversations about the future of democratic governance should start.”
Marci Harris, Cofounder and Executive Director of POPVOX Foundation, said, “This project started by listening to members of parliament and building what they said they needed to enable transparency and better serve their constituents. Now, two years later, we are serving parliaments on four continents and continuing to learn and build together.”
The ParlLink platform, developed in partnership with POPVOX Inc., helps legislatures go from paper and PDFs to chatbots and other AI-enabled tools.
“These are the kinds of tools that we only dreamed about in the early days of ‘open government’ and now with AI, every parliament can easily share information with constituents, empower staff and MPs, and do so in many languages and formats,” Harris said.
Sammy Obeng, Founding Executive Director of Parliamentary Network Africa (PNAfrica), highlighted the strong foundation for modernization already laid in Ghana and emphasized how continued investment in legislative strengthening can advance transparency and democracy across the region.
“‘Parliamentary openness’ is increasingly becoming a buzzword among African Legislatures,” Obeng emphasized. “At the heart of this open, transparent and accountable Parliamentary agenda, will be innovation, dedicated skill building, knowledge sharing, and strategizing on how AI can support those core functions. This is where the DPP project comes in — giving African parliaments the tools to work better, serve citizens proactively, and become world leaders in this AI era. PNAfrica is dedicated to supporting this initiative towards building stronger African parliaments.”
Dr. Hannah Muzee, Chief Convenor and Executive Director of AFRIPAL, spoke to the value of knowledge sharing and parliamentary modernization leadership:
"Today, digital transformation is no longer an option for anyone but rather essential for our day-to-day functioning and, most importantly, a fundamental requirement for effective governance. In situations where Parliaments and technical staff need to process documentation faster than ever, synthesise large quantities of documents for fast decision-making, modern legislative tools powered by AI are indispensable for institutions that seek to remain responsive, effective, and relevant to increasingly digital societies."
During her remarks, Dr. Muzee noted that AFRIPAL's 2027 conference in Gaborone, Botswana, which will focus on African Parliaments in the digital age, will provide a space for stakeholders to reflect on how digital transformation is reshaping representation, parliamentary democracy, constitutionalism, legislative autonomy, networked governance and the function of parliaments. AFRIPAL provides an opportunity for the necessary experiential sharing required to enhance parliament and legislative spaces.
The Digital Parliaments Project works with parliaments, civil society, and technologists to help democratic institutions keep pace with rapidly changing technology. By helping legislatures adopt emerging technologies responsibly and intentionally, the DPP ensures countries participate in the AI era rather than fall behind. Many parliaments contend with outdated technology, paper-based systems, siloed information, and limited resources for technological expertise and skill development. The DPP addresses these challenges through collaborative needs assessment, technology development, and peer learning.
The African expansion extends the DPP's growing work across regions. In 2025, the project moved from its inaugural Caribbean cohort of Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia to launches in the West Balkans, including in Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Moldova. Now it is launching in Africa, demonstrating the DPP model's scalability and relevance across diverse contexts.
"AI is changing our world at an extraordinary pace. Parliaments around the globe are independently facing the same challenges in responding to these changes. This launch and the continual expansion of the Digital Parliaments Project gives the leaders within legislatures a community to innovate and share lessons learned together," said Aubrey Wilson, Managing Director of POPVOX Foundation.
The DPP expansion provides no-cost access to ParlLink, a legislative data digitization and management platform with AI-integrated features. The foundation will also develop parliament-specific resources and support ongoing peer learning through quarterly convenings.
For more information about the Digital Parliaments Project or to inquire about joining a future phase, visit popvox.org/digital-parliaments or contact Chloe Ladd, Program Manager for Global Initiatives, at Chloe@popvox.org.
About POPVOX Foundation
POPVOX Foundation helps democratic institutions keep pace with a rapidly changing world. The foundation works at the intersection of technology and governance to build stronger legislative institutions. Learn more at popvox.org.
About the House Democracy Partnership
The House Democracy Partnership, a bipartisan commission of the US House of Representatives, strengthens legislative institutions across the globe through technical assistance and peer-to-peer engagement.
