The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat has participated in the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) members and interested countries. The roundtable was held at the headquarters of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris, France.
The event delved into the GPAI-adopted comprehensive approach to global AI governance, aiming to explore future cooperation opportunities across different countries and bolster international coordination in this field. Key figures attending the roundtable included the Serbian Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation Jelena Begović, the Chilean Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation Aisén Etcheverry, the Kazakhstani Minister of Digital, Innovations, and Aerospace Zhaslan Madiyev, and the Deputy Director of the Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Audrey Plonk.
In his remarks, the ICT Minister underscored that Egypt launched the Second Edition of the National AI Strategy 2025-2030 in January. He outlined that the strategy is built on six main pillars: Governance, which ensures the ethical and responsible use of AI while addressing issues such as transparency, algorithmic bias, and privacy protection; Data, establishing robust frameworks to enhance data accessibility and sharing; and Infrastructure, which aims to expand smart cloud computing services, implement digital transformation projects, and provide high-performance computing applications.
Other pillars include Ecosystem, supporting startups and fostering innovation; Technology, which focuses on improving the quality of life and sectoral efficiency across different sectors by developing innovative AI models and algorithms, like deep learning; and Talent, strengthening AI capacity-building programs offered by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).
Furthermore, Talaat highlighted Egypt’s active engagement in international forums addressing AI-related issues. He emphasized that Egypt is the first African nation to adhere to OECD AI Principles and plays a pivotal role in the AI Working Group.
Moreover, Talaat underlined Egypt’s dedication to strengthening regional AI cooperation at the Arab and African levels through the League of Arab States (LAS) and the African Union (AU). He also stressed the nation’s focus on tackling challenges associated with AI technologies, such as algorithmic bias, transparency, and accountability, aligning with international initiatives in this field.
The ICT Minister also pointed to Egypt’s proactive efforts in recognizing AI impact on the labor market through training programs designed to equip the workforce with the digital skills necessary to keep pace with the demands of an AI-driven economy.
In addition, Talaat reaffirmed Egypt’s unwavering commitment to enhancing cybersecurity for AI systems, prioritizing privacy protection and data breach prevention. He also called for increased global investments in AI-driven innovation to overcome infrastructure cost challenges and boost AI research across Africa and the Arab region.
The ICT Minister also emphasized Egypt’s commitment to international collaboration in advancing AI governance worldwide. He highlighted the country’s active engagement with GPAI and OECD in shaping global AI policies to balance innovation with ethical considerations. This commitment aligns with the state’s leading role in developing AI policies across Africa and the Arab region.
In conclusion, Talaat called for introducing more initiatives focused on leveraging transformative AI applications in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education. He expressed the nation’s keenness to boost international cooperation during the upcoming GPAI Summit in Slovakia.
It is worth noting that the ICT Minister is currently visiting Paris, France, to participate in the AI Action Summit, hosted on February 10-11, on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The Summit brings together heads of state and government, ministers, ambassadors, and officials from international organizations.
During the visit, Talaat is scheduled to engage in several meetings with officials from French companies to explore investment opportunities within the ICT sector. Additionally, he will meet with officials from international organizations to discuss potential collaboration in related fields.
