The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy; Chuck Robbins, Cisco chairman and CEO; and Francine Katsoudas, Cisco’s executive vice president and chief people, policy, and purpose officer.
The MoU aims to support the implementation of priority national digital initiatives in Egypt, with a focus on expanding the use of AI to support the country’s National AI Strategy.
The cooperation will draw on Cisco’s global expertise and innovative solutions to explore opportunities to support the adoption and expansion of AI solutions across government and other priority sectors, to improve service delivery, increase operational efficiency, and enhance decision-making.
The agreement also covers opportunities to accelerate innovation, economic diversification, and productivity through AI-based initiatives, as well as strengthening national AI capabilities through skills development, institutional development, and wider use of AI applications in Egypt.
Following the signing, PM Madbouly stressed the government’s commitment to expanding the implementation of digital initiatives that can help build the capabilities and skills of young Egyptians across various technology fields.
He said such initiatives support the state’s drive toward digital transformation and the wider adoption of AI technologies and applications across sectors, with the aim of improving the quality of government services provided to citizens.
Minister Hendy said the cooperation reflects the ministry’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with major global companies and benefiting from their expertise to accelerate the adoption of AI solutions.
The partnership will support Egypt’s efforts to build a competitive digital economy based on digital innovation and emerging technologies, he added.
Hendy noted that cooperation with Cisco will strengthen the ministry’s efforts to expand AI applications and leverage advanced global technologies to improve government services, promote innovation, and develop specialized talent.
“AI is reshaping economies around the world, and the countries that take thoughtful steps today with a clear vision will be best positioned to lead tomorrow. Egypt is moving forward with a clear vision and firm ambition, while Cisco is bringing its global expertise to help transform that ambition into tangible national capabilities,” Cisco’s Robbins said.
Expanding cooperation in AI, cybersecurity and digital skills
In a meeting with Robbins, Madbouly discussed expanding cooperation in AI, cybersecurity, innovation, and digital skills. The talks also covered opportunities to support Egypt’s digital transformation and strengthen the country’s technological capabilities, alongside expanding Cisco’s training and skills-development programmes for Egyptian youth.
Madbouly stressed the long-standing cooperation between Egypt and Cisco and the government’s interest in expanding the partnership, particularly in information and communications technology (ICT) and AI.
He said Cisco is a priority partner for the Egyptian government in these areas and expressed Egypt’s interest in attracting further cooperation and investment from the company.
The prime minister also stressed the importance of maintaining clear and stable frameworks for cooperation to support Cisco’s continued operations and expansion in Egypt, while benefiting from its global expertise in ICT and AI.
PM Madbouly highlighted the importance of expanding Cisco’s training and capacity-building programmes, particularly initiatives aimed at helping Egyptian youth obtain internationally recognized technology certifications.
Robbins said Cisco has made significant progress in its partnership with Egypt in recent years and expressed the company’s interest in exploring new areas of cooperation.
He said Cisco has significant investments and activities in Egypt, with education and digital skills development among its key areas of focus.
Cisco’s programmes have so far trained and educated around 670,000 students in Egypt, Robbins said, adding that the company plans to increase that number in the near future.
The Cisco CEO also pointed to opportunities to cooperate on innovation, including the potential establishment of innovation centres, as well as efforts to address cybersecurity risks associated with AI technologies and models.
He said there are opportunities to develop applications based on AI models and make use of Cisco’s expertise in the field.
Robbins also highlighted the role Egypt could play in technology and AI, saying Cisco is ready to continue discussions with the Egyptian government on future cooperation.
Cisco in Egypt
Cisco Systems is a US-based multinational technology company headquartered in San Jose, California. It develops networking, cybersecurity, cloud, and other digital technologies and operates globally. The company established an office in Egypt and has worked with the Egyptian government on digital transformation projects, skills development, and development initiatives.
During the meeting, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy described Cisco as a strategic partner for Egypt, noting that cooperation between the company and the government has expanded since Cisco established its Egyptian office.
Hendy said Cisco has contributed to several national digital transformation projects and supported several development initiatives in Egypt.
He also highlighted the role of Cisco’s training programmes in developing the skills of Egyptian youth, saying hundreds of thousands have benefited from them.
The minister added that Cisco has supported many development projects through its corporate social responsibility programmes.
Hendy said Egypt is looking to build on its existing partnership with Cisco and open new areas of cooperation to support the country’s technology sector.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides stressed the importance of continued coordination to explore new opportunities, particularly in AI, cybersecurity, innovation, skills development, and advanced technology applications.
US investment in Egypt is broad-based but remains led by oil and gas, where American companies have long been among the country’s most important foreign investors. More recently, Egypt has sought to channel additional US capital into manufacturing, renewable energy, data centres, logistics, ports, transport, and technology, presenting the country as a production base and commercial gateway to African, Middle Eastern, and European markets.
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