FDC Summit Paves the Way for the “Cairo Document for Trust and African Digital Integration” and Will Present Its Outcomes at the El Alamein Forum for Africa

In a move aimed at strengthening African dialogue on the future of digital integration, the Future of Digital Countries Summit (FDC Summit 2026) hosted a high-level roundtable on “Digital Integration Diplomacy in Africa,” with the participation of ambassadors and representatives of 11 African diplomatic missions accredited to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The roundtable was chaired by Ambassador Mohamed Karim Sherif, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for African Affairs.

The roundtable is part of the Summit’s efforts to strengthen channels of dialogue between Egypt and African countries, and to open space for coordination and the exchange of views on how to turn continental digital frameworks and policies into practical pathways that support digital integration, encourage investment and digital trade, and strengthen cooperation in cybersecurity, data, and emerging technologies.

Held under the title “From Digital Frameworks to Investments: Digital Integration Diplomacy in Africa,” the roundtable was moderated by Mr. Ahmed Tarek Fawzy, Commercial Counsellor and Egypt’s Deputy Chief Negotiator for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The session also featured the participation of Eng. Mahmoud Sofrata, Vice President of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) for ICT Market Development, alongside Mr. Bassem Saleh, Regional Sales Director for Africa at F5.

Discussions focused on one of the most significant challenges facing digital integration on the continent: narrowing the gap between the adoption of continental frameworks and policies and their translation into implementation mechanisms at the national level, thereby strengthening African countries’ ability to benefit from the opportunities offered by the digital economy.

In this context, participants reviewed a number of developments in the continental digital landscape, foremost among them the Digital Trade Protocol annexed to the AfCFTA Agreement and the issues it covers, including digital identity, cross-border digital payments, data flows, and online safety, as well as the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection.

The discussions also addressed the African Union Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the AU Data Policy Framework, as well as ways to strengthen coordination between continental frameworks and national policies, in support of building a more integrated African digital environment that is better able to attract investment.

Lasting two hours, the roundtable examined three main interlinked tracks: digital infrastructure as a pillar of continental integration; digital trade and the African integration agenda; and cyber diplomacy and strengthening Africa’s presence and voice in international discussions on cyberspace.

Trust and practical cooperation among states, missions, and relevant institutions formed a common thread throughout the discussions, as essential requirements for advancing digital integration, facilitating cross-border digital trade, and enhancing cooperation in addressing cyber risks and data governance challenges.

In light of the discussions, participants agreed to work on preparing a concise outcome document, provisionally titled the “Cairo Document for Trust and African Digital Integration.” The document will draw on the key insights and points of consensus raised during the roundtable and will offer a reading of the main priorities and challenges facing the digital integration agenda on the continent.

The document’s key outcomes are expected to be presented for discussion at the El Alamein Forum for Africa, scheduled for 2–4 October 2026, broadening the dialogue on the issues addressed at the roundtable and supporting continued African consultation on pathways toward a more connected and integrated digital economy.

Roundtable participants included: the Ambassador of Angola, Makinto Sebastião Lopes; the Ambassador of Burkina Faso, Adissa Gyesso; the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire, Doly Gueu Albert; the Ambassador of Ghana, Prof. Justice Solomon Korantwi-Barimah; the Ambassador of Kenya, Frederick Otieno Outa; the Ambassador of Namibia, Veiccoh M. O. Mubiana; the Ambassador of Nigeria, Ahmed Mohammed Monguno; from Rwanda, Gérard Hagiriro, First Secretary, on behalf of Ambassador Dan Munyuza; the Ambassador of Sierra Leone, Sadiq Sillah; and the Ambassador of Tanzania, Maj. Gen. Richard Mutayoba Makanzo; alongside representatives of the participating African missions.