Abdelatty sets out Egypt’s AI governance vision at G7 ministerial in Paris

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty addressed a G7 ministerial meeting in Paris on Monday, setting out Egypt’s approach to governing artificial intelligence, and separately met Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Speaking at the G7 session on AI governance, Abdelatty described the technology as a main driver of economic growth and innovation in health, education, agriculture and public administration, and said it must be put to work for people, according to a statement from Egypt’s foreign ministry.

He outlined Egypt’s efforts to build a national system for governing AI, including the creation of the National Council for Artificial Intelligence, the launch of a national AI strategy and the adoption of a national AI governance framework for 2026. Egypt was using the technology to improve government services and priority sectors, build partnerships with the private sector and support research and innovation, he said.

Abdelatty also pointed to Egypt’s role in drafting the African Union’s continental AI strategy and related Arab initiatives, and said Cairo wanted African and Arab states to take an active part in developing and governing AI in line with their own priorities and needs.

He called for comprehensive and balanced international frameworks so that all countries could share in AI’s benefits. He praised the UN’s work in the field and welcomed the creation of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the launch of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

Talks with the OECD

In his meeting with Cormann, Abdelatty discussed expanding co-operation between Egypt and the organisation and reviewed joint programmes. He praised the level of co-operation and said Egypt wanted to build on the work done under their joint country programme, which he said supported the government’s structural economic reforms and had helped strengthen the economy’s resilience, reflected in positive growth despite global economic crises and successive geopolitical shocks.

The minister stressed the importance Egypt attaches to its co-chairmanship of the MENA-OECD Initiative for 2026 to 2030. He said Cairo hoped to host the initiative’s ministerial meeting in the first quarter of 2027.

Abdelatty described the meeting as an opportunity to strengthen regional economic co-operation and exchange views on the region’s development priorities. He said hosting it would also signal the OECD’s confidence in Egypt’s economic course, including its reform efforts, macroeconomic stability and an improving investment climate.

Abdelatty also welcomed the idea of an institutional partnership between the OECD and the Alamein Africa Forum, which held its first edition in early October. He said such a partnership could widen co-operation in supporting the private sector, building economic and investment partnerships and advancing development across Africa.