MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA

Egypt’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy

OE Watch Commentary: In September, Egypt hosted the “First International
Conference on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Modern Information
Technologies in Building the Egyptian Knowledge and Innovation Society.” The
conference, which according to the accompanying media report aimed largely
at attracting foreign investments, is among a handful of signals conveying the
Egyptian government’s interest in artificial intelligence (AI). As the country’s
dominant economic player, the Egyptian military is likely to be deeply involved
in the development and application of AI-powered technology.
The Egyptian government’s “AI Strategy” was formulated earlier in 2019 and
has a time horizon of three to five years. According to the second accompanying
news report, the strategy has a domestic component focused on training,
education and innovation, and an international component focused on the “export
Screenshot of NAC promotional video.
of AI-based solutions.” Egypt’s ambitions of becoming an exporter of AI services Source: Screenshot from https://vimeo.com/180717384, CC BY 3.0

and technology is noteworthy, as is the emphasis on Africa, where “digital transformation” is seen as “a great opportunity for business growth.”
Over the summer, the Egyptian government changed the name of several computer science departments in its university system to include
the term “artificial intelligence.” It also established the first “Faculty of Artificial Intelligence,” a new department offering a bachelor’s degree
in AI at the University of Kafr Sheikh, in the Nile Delta. The faculty opened its doors to new students in September. There are also plans to
eventually establish “an Egyptian university for information technology,” which would be “the first of its kind in the Arab and Middle East and
North Africa regions.”
The new university will be in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital (NAC), which will serve as a live laboratory for the application of AI-
powered technologies. The NAC, which is being built from scratch in the desert 30 miles east of Cairo, is envisioned as a “smart city” that will
eventually house government ministries, foreign missions and over five million people. Work began in 2015 and the project has already been
plagued by unmet deadlines and financing issues. Still, by next summer, some Egyptian government functions are expected to begin relocating
there. The NAC’s business district is being built by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). Chinese company Huawei
will provide the technology for a “digital city” within the NAC, which according to a local Huawei representative will be completed by 2023.
End OE Watch Commentary (Winter)

“…The strategy will be implemented over 3 to 5 years and is based on two main axes: training,
capacity building, and production; and, export of AI-based solutions…”
Source: “Egyptian computer science students dispatched to study artificial intelligence abroad,” Egypt Independent, 9 September 2019.
https://egyptindependent.com/egyptian-computer-science-students-dispatched-to-study-artificial-intelligence-abroad/

In his speech during the First International Conference on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Modern Information Technologies in Building the
Egyptian Knowledge and Innovation Society, which was attended by the Ministers of Communications and Military Production, Abdel Ghaffar stressed
that all state agencies must coordinate in the field of artificial intelligence…
The government is studying the establishment of an Egyptian university for information technology in the new administrative capital, the first of its kind
in the Arab and Middle East and North Africa regions, Abdel Ghaffar said. He called for cooperation with the Ministry of Military Production in the field
of software industry and various applied industries.

Source: 6 ‫ تعرف عليها‬..‫معلومات عن اسرتاتيجية الذكاء االصطناعى‬

“Six Facts to Get to Know the Artificial Intelligence Strategy,” al-Yaum al-Sabaa, 4 June 2019. https://tinyurl.com/y5uvtbla

Al-Yaum al-Sabaa provides 6 key points on the AI Strategy:

- The strategy will be implemented over 3 to 5 years and is based on two main axes: training, capacity building, and production; and, export of AI-based
solutions.
- The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is working to promote investments in young minds and contribute to the implementation
of the state’s strategy in building the Egyptian people and qualifying professional cadres.
- Creating an environment conducive to the growth of the business community of startups working in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Giving the opportunity for start-up companies to participate in projects with various state bodies in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Supporting the capacities of young people in the fields of data science and AI, and encouraging the private sector to work in the AI market.
- The Ministry of Communications is working with African countries on digital transformation projects, which represents a great opportunity for
business growth.

Source: 2023 ‫ العاصمة اإلدارية الجديدة مدينة رقمية متصلة ىف‬:‫هواوى‬

“Huawei: The New Administrative Capital Will be a Connected Digital City by 2023,” al-Mal News, 17 June 2019. https://tinyurl.com/y4aezfqe

Osama El-Masalawy, a business representative at Huawei Egypt, said that the company has started to develop a new digital city in the under-
construction new administrative capital, as an advanced model that proves Egypt’s ability to build smart cities according to its needs and supports its
global image in this field.
He said this during a special session of the Builders of Egypt Forum, which was held under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Sunday.
Huawei has developed a specific smart city model in the new administrative capital, with the goal of building a digital and connected city by 2023.

OE Watch | October 2019 42