Egyptian Communications and Information Technology Minister, Eng. Rafeat Hendy, recently met with Paolo Guglielmini, NVIDIA's Vice President for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting aimed to explore potential cooperation in artificial intelligence, computing, digital skills development, and innovation. Also in attendance were several high-ranking officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, as well as NVIDIA representatives.
The meeting covered various topics, including research and development in AI and advanced technologies, local capacity building, and support for entrepreneurs and startups. The two sides discussed providing specialized training content and technical expertise, as well as utilizing AI and deep learning training programs and trainer training. They also examined ways to develop local computing and AI capabilities to meet the needs of Egyptian developers, researchers, and institutions.
Minister Hendy highlighted Egypt's comprehensive approach to employing AI technologies to achieve tangible developmental, economic, and social impacts. He emphasized that Egypt was among the first countries to develop a national AI strategy in the Middle East and Africa, launched in 2019. This strategy included establishing the National Council for AI, the National AI Strategy, the Applied Innovation Center, and the Egyptian AI Responsibility Charter.
The Minister added that these efforts contributed to Egypt's advancement in the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index by Oxford Insights, ranking first in Africa and third in the Arab world. He expressed his aspiration to attract more global technology companies to work and invest in Egypt, citing the country's strategic partnerships with several American and international technology companies.
Paolo Guglielmini stated that Egypt has the talent and ambition to become a significant player in AI innovation, and NVIDIA can support this goal through its integrated system of accelerated computing, software, and AI tools, as well as training programs. He noted that NVIDIA sees a significant opportunity to support Egypt's AI ecosystem in developing solutions that meet local needs and expand to global markets.
The meeting also reviewed Egypt's competitive advantages in the communications and information technology sector, including a large pool of qualified cadres, a growing technological infrastructure, and an environment that supports investment and innovation. These factors have attracted investments from global companies operating in various technological fields, with many using Egypt as a hub to provide technology, outsourcing, and consulting services to global markets.
The two sides discussed the axes of the second edition of the National AI Strategy (2025-2030), its objectives, and what has been achieved so far. They explored opportunities to support these efforts through skills development, encouraging innovation, and expanding the use of AI applications. A memorandum of understanding is being prepared to define the proposed areas of cooperation between the two parties.
Key points
- Egypt's Communications Minister meets with NVIDIA officials to explore cooperation in AI and computing.
- The two sides discuss developing local AI capabilities and supporting entrepreneurs and startups.
- Egypt aims to become a significant player in AI innovation, with NVIDIA offering support through its integrated system of AI tools and training programs.
