Egypt Elected to Chair Arab AI Governance and Quantum Computing Working Groups

Egypt has been elected to chair the AI Governance Working Group and the Quantum Computing Working Group under the Arab Permanent Committee for AI and Emerging Technologies, the committee’s second founding meeting held in Tunisia confirmed. The two groups are among the committee’s six working groups and align closely with Cairo’s recent domestic institutional reorganisation: in January the Cabinet expanded the National Council for Artificial Intelligence’s mandate to include quantum computing, biotechnology and other emerging technologies, renaming it the National Council for Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Emerging Technologies in a decision chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

"A country that had built domestic governance capacity for AI and quantum computing was positioned to claim the regional agenda-setting roles when they became available," the committee’s meeting records state.

As chair of the AI Governance Working Group, Egypt will lead the development of a regional AI governance framework, design technical governance tools, and establish an advisory mechanism to support implementation of the Arab Charter for AI Ethics. The role also includes coordinating knowledge sharing among member states and representing Arab positions in international policy discussions. In the parallel Quantum Computing Working Group, Egypt will oversee the creation of a regional quantum strategy, promote research and practical applications, assess opportunities in areas such as cybersecurity, and build scientific and technical expertise while monitoring global developments.

The committee’s broader mandate covers six working groups: AI Governance; Capacity Building and Partnerships; Innovation and Technological Solutions; Data and Digital Infrastructure; Quantum Computing; and Emerging Technologies. Its remit includes developing regional strategies and public policies, promoting digital transformation across sectors, strengthening capacity building, supporting scientific research, proposing regional agreements, and coordinating Arab participation in international forums.

Egypt has been intimately involved in the committee’s formation. The body was created by resolution at the 29th session of the Arab Telecommunications and Information Council of Ministers held in Egypt in January 2026, and Cairo hosted the inaugural founding meeting at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in May. Delegations from Arab member states attended the Tunisia meeting where the elections took place, while regional and international organisations participated as observers.

Domestically, Egypt has been building an AI and quantum policy and research ecosystem that now extends into regional influence. The country ranked first in Africa on the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index, launched the Karnak national Arabic language model in February, and set a National AI Strategy 2025–2030 that targets more than 250 AI companies and $42.7 billion in AI-related economic value. Those initiatives formed the backdrop to Cairo’s successful bids for the two chair positions.

The appointments create a dual-policy position for Egypt: it participates in COMESA’s harmonised regional AI strategy consultations across 21 member states and sits under the African Union’s Continental AI Strategy, while now chairing two working groups shaping AI and quantum policy for the Arab world. That positioning could foster cross-pollination between African and Arab frameworks, but it may also require Egyptian companies and regulators to reconcile differing regional requirements depending on the jurisdiction and nature of specific transactions.

Outlook

• Egypt will lead drafting of an Arab regional AI governance framework and a regional quantum strategy, with explicit roles in ethics advisory, technical tools and knowledge sharing.
• Expect coordinated Arab positions to emerge from the AI Governance Working Group in international fora, and increased regional collaboration on quantum research and cybersecurity from the Quantum Computing Working Group.
• For Egyptian industry, the dual roles signal both opportunity and complexity: domestic rules that inform regional standards could open markets, but companies may need to navigate overlapping African and Arab regulatory regimes.