The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Republic of Yemen has expressed its intent to leverage Egypt’s extensive experience in digital transformation and infrastructure modernisation.
This strategic move aims to revitalise Middle Eastern country’s telecommunications sector, which has been crippled by a decade of civil conflict, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).
The move follows a bilateral meeting held in Cairo late last week. Egypt’s MCIT minister, Raafat Hindy, alongside senior officials, hosted a Yemeni delegation led by ICT minister Dr Shadi Saleh Basura.
The discussions focused on creating a roadmap for the digitalisation of government services, the potential deployment of 5G technology, and the urgent rehabilitation of Yemen’s national infrastructure.
Connectivity in Yemen remains notoriously fragile. The national network is frequently disrupted by blackouts resulting from damaged submarine cables and airstrikes targeting key exchange buildings.
While the entry of Starlink in 2024 offered a high-speed alternative, the service remains prohibitively expensive for the general population.
Furthermore, it faces strict bans in areas controlled by the Houthi movement, who view the satellite technology as a significant security threat.
During the engagements, the Egyptian delegation showcased the success of their Digital Egypt initiatives.
These programmes, managed by MCIT, focus on building digital capacity across all age groups to ensure the labour market is supplied with qualified, tech-savvy candidates.
Minister Basura emphasised that the extensive damage to Yemen’s physical assets has halted technological development.
He highlighted that adopting the North African nation's model for human capacity building and digital financial services is critical to jump-starting Yemen's recovery.
Minister Hindy reaffirmed the depth of historical relations between the two nations, pledging Egypt’s full support through the exchange of technical knowledge and best practices.
As Yemen looks to transition from emergency repairs to long-term growth, this partnership marks a pivotal step in reconnecting the country to the global digital economy.
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