Egypt, Italy to establish AI hub in Cairo to serve Africa

Egypt and Italy have recently announced plans to establish a hub for artificial intelligence (AI) in Cairo, with the aim of advancing AI development and utilization throughout Africa. The announcement came following a meeting that Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) held in the New Administrative Capital. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat and the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso held discussions that aim to open new avenues of cooperation between Egypt and Italy in AI and global information infrastructure (GII).

According to Egypt’s MCIT, the AI center will focus on supporting AI development and application throughout Africa. Moreover, it aims to provide training and support to African nations. The AI center also seeks to foster collaborations between research institutions and businesses in both Egypt and Italy.

Commitment and collaboration

During the meeting, both ministers expressed commitment to establishing the AI center this year and explored initiatives to enhance digital capabilities. They also discussed Egypt’s extensive experience in information technology and the potential for collaboration in data governance and international digital infrastructure development. The Egypt-Italy talks aimed to lay the groundwork for a productive partnership encompassing all aspects of AI and related infrastructure.

Egypt’s strategic role

Minister Talaat highlighted Egypt’s strategic location as a data corridor connecting the East and West, emphasizing its readiness to host the AI center effectively. He underscored existing collaboration between Egypt and African countries in various communication and information technology fields, positioning Egypt as a key partner in AI development in Africa.

Meanwhile, Urso emphasized Italy’s leadership in the digital industry and AI, highlighting the approval of an AI Center for Sustainable Development project during the G7 meetings. He stressed the importance of Italy’s cooperation in establishing Egypt as an international AI hub serving all African nations, with Egypt being the optimal choice and strategic partner to host the AI center. Hence, almost 90 percent of data traffic between Italy, Europe, Asia and Africa passes through Egypt.