• Talks focus on ICT investment, offshoring, and advanced technologies.
• Cooperation could expand into cloud computing, data centers, and fintech.
• Egypt aims to position itself as a regional digital hub for Africa.

Egypt is exploring ways to strengthen cooperation with the United Kingdom in information and communication technologies. The issue was discussed during a meeting between Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, and the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Egypt, Mark Bryson-Richardson.

Discussions focused on mechanisms to deepen bilateral cooperation and boost investment in information technologies, particularly by attracting more British companies to Egypt’s offshoring sector. The talks also covered digital transformation, digital skills development, and collaboration in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, with a focus on innovation, start-ups, and entrepreneurship.

The two sides also reviewed prospects for expanding cooperation in cloud computing, data centers, cybersecurity, fintech, and digital infrastructure, building on Egypt’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub and a gateway to African markets.

The discussions come as Egypt seeks to strengthen international partnerships and foreign investment to accelerate the development of its ICT sector, a core pillar of its national socio-economic development strategy. The Digital Egypt 2030 strategy aims to build a digital economy through ICT to promote prosperity, freedom, and social equity. In recent years, Egypt has expanded digital cooperation with countries including the United States, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Egypt currently ranks 95th out of 193 countries in the United Nations E-Government Development Index, with a score of 0.6699, above the global average of 0.6382. The United Kingdom ranks seventh worldwide, with a score of 0.9577.

Isaac K. Kassouwi