Egypt is set to host the Middle East and Africa’s first dedicated, all-AI global summit, Ai Everything Middle East & Africa (MEA) Egypt 2026, on 11–12 February 2026 at the Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC) in Cairo. The event marks a major milestone in Egypt’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and advanced digital technologies.
The summit is organised under the global GITEX umbrella and hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in collaboration with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency. It will bring together more than 350 global enterprises, startups, investors, and innovation showcases from over 30 countries, focusing exclusively on artificial intelligence and its real-world applications.
The event comes as artificial intelligence is projected to contribute around $1.5 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, underscoring the strategic importance of Cairo hosting a platform dedicated to AI deployment, governance, and investment across emerging markets.
Egypt’s selection as host reflects its rising profile in the global AI landscape. According to Oxford Insights, Egypt ranks first in Africa for Government AI Readiness and third in the Arab region for AI Resilience. The country is also positioning itself as a bridge between Africa and the Middle East, with a growing focus on Arabic-language AI solutions and data-driven public-sector transformation.
Ai Everything MEA Egypt 2026 will showcase applied AI across critical sectors including cloud computing, cybersecurity, data centres, telecommunications, government services, healthcare, smart mobility, fintech, and digital payments. Participating global technology leaders include Microsoft, Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Red Hat, Amazon Web Services, Capgemini, Dataiku, e& Egypt, and Fortinet, alongside prominent regional players such as Alkan, Cyshield, and Link Data Center.
The summit will also provide a launchpad for AI-first companies choosing Cairo to debut new solutions, including WideBot AI, EZELINK, Odoo, ZIWO, Zakaa, and Barq Systems.
Senior executives and policymakers have highlighted the strategic importance of the event. Mohamed El Kassem, General Manager of Microsoft Egypt, said artificial intelligence represents a major opportunity for countries with a clear adoption roadmap, noting Egypt’s progress in building an AI-driven economy supported by digital infrastructure and a growing pool of skilled talent. Hazem Metwally, CEO of e& Egypt, described the summit as timely, pointing to AI’s potential to reshape productivity and business models across the economy.
Discussions will extend beyond technology deployment to include AI infrastructure, governance, sustainability, and economic impact, with participation from global institutions such as the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Cerebras, Tenstorrent, the United Nations Environment Programme, and HCL Technologies.
The summit coincides with strong momentum in Egypt’s startup ecosystem, with Egyptian startups accounting for around 31% of total African startup funding in the first half of 2025. Participating startups include UK-based Emotii, Germany’s Imensus, and Egypt’s Olimi AI, which specialises in Arabic-dialect voice AI solutions.
By aligning global AI leaders, policymakers, and startups in Cairo, Ai Everything MEA Egypt 2026 is positioned as a cornerstone event supporting the implementation of Egypt’s Second National AI Strategy, aimed at converting advanced technologies into sustainable economic value across priority sectors.
