On September 27, 2026, Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Raft Hendy, met with his Malian counterpart, Hamdou Ag Ilian, Minister of Communications, Digital Economy, and Administrative Reform. The meeting, attended by Mali's Ambassador to Cairo, Samba Hamdou Babi, focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries in communications and information technology. The Egyptian side was represented by several officials, including the National Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications' CEO, Eng. Mohamed Sharmoukh.
During the meeting, Eng. Raft Hendy highlighted Egypt's efforts to develop communication infrastructure in villages under the presidential initiative "Hayat Karima" by laying fiber-optic cables to provide high-speed internet services to around 60 million citizens. He expressed the possibility of cooperation in laying fiber-optic networks through exchanging experiences and implementation plans. Hendy also mentioned opportunities for cooperation in digital capacity building through training programs offered by the Egyptian-African Training Center for Regulatory Affairs (EG-ATRC).
Eng. Raft Hendy outlined the axes of the national strategy for artificial intelligence and the efforts of the Applied Innovation Center in developing technological solutions and applications that contribute to addressing societal challenges and supporting development efforts. Hamdou Ag Ilian expressed Mali's interest in enhancing digital infrastructure to support digital transformation and praised Egypt's experience in communications and information technology.
The two ministers discussed ways to enhance cooperation and exchange experiences in developing digital infrastructure, including fiber-optic networks and mobile phone networks. They also explored linking government institutions and regional and international connections to support efforts to modernize administration and expand the provision of digital government services in Mali.
The meeting touched on cooperation opportunities in artificial intelligence, particularly its applications in government services, development, and capacity building. The ministers also discussed ways to benefit from Egypt's expertise in these fields in line with Mali's needs. The two sides agreed to start technical meetings to explore ways to benefit from Egypt's experience in developing digital platforms and providing services to citizens.
The Malian delegation included several officials, such as Dr. Hamidou Tagou, Technical Advisor for Communications, and Dr. Sheikh Omar Traore, Director of the Broadcasting and Radio Company. The Egyptian side was represented by several officials, including Eng. Saad Rashdi, Head of the Central Administration for Resources and Technical Assistance.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue discussions on enhancing cooperation in communications and information technology between Egypt and Mali. The two countries aim to leverage each other's expertise to support development efforts and modernize administration. No specific timeline was provided for the implementation of the agreed-upon cooperation areas.
Key points
- Egypt and Mali to enhance cooperation in communications and information technology, including digital infrastructure development and artificial intelligence applications.
