Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdelatty, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Raafat Hendy, on Friday attended the closing ceremony of the third edition of the African Youth AI and Robotics Presidential Competition (AYAIR 2026).
Egypt hosted the event under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.The ceremony was held on the sidelines of the El Alamein-Africa Forum and the African Union mid-year summit.
Abdelatty said the competition reflects Egypt’s interest in empowering African youth and building their capabilities in AI, robotics and emerging technologies. He stressed the importance of supporting innovation and entrepreneurship and providing platforms that enable young people to turn their ideas into practical solutions addressing development challenges and supporting digital transformation and economic integration across Africa.
Hendy said Egypt was committed to continuing co-operation with African youth and working jointly to use technology to support development across the continent. He noted that the competition helps maximise the use of AI technologies across various sectors by supporting innovators in turning their ideas into viable products and projects.
Egyptian Sagi El-Assal won first place in the Presidential Award category in Ethical AI and Healthcare Solutions for an AI-powered smart assistive device designed to help wheelchair users move more independently and safely and address accessibility and mobility challenges.
The competition offers $120,000 in total financial prizes, in addition to mentoring, incubation, access to investors and international partners, and support in connecting promising projects with African and international innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
