Ambassador Eichhorst's Speech at the Egypt 5G Forum Opening

 

Minister Amr Talaat, excellencies, distinguished guests, many friends, industry leaders, and partners,

Many friends,

It is a great honour to open today’s 5G Forum – a timely and strategic gathering that reflects both Egypt’s digital ambition and our shared commitment to secure, inclusive, and forward-looking connectivity.

Let me extend my warm thanks to our Egyptian hosts, our co-organisers, and all participants from both the public and private sectors. 

You all know how Egypt is in a pivotal phase in its digital transformation. With Vision 2030 as the roadmap, the transition to 5G represents far more than a technological upgrade. We strong back Egypt’s ambition to become a regional digital hub as evident in the expanding infrastructure, rising investments, and focus on digital skills and inclusion.

The European Union is a long-standing and strategic partner in this journey. Digital cooperation is becoming an important element of the EU–Egypt Partnership Priorities and our Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership.

As Egypt advances its 5G agenda, ensuring that deployment is secure, resilient, and future-proof is essential. The EU is a global leader in shaping the digital environment – guided by the Digital Compass and supported by key regulatory frameworks such as the 5G Security Toolbox and the NIS2 (Network and Information System) Directive. These instruments offer a clear, risk-based approach to safeguarding supply chains and protecting critical digital infrastructure.

These tools are already being applied across the EU, and we encourage our partners – including Egypt – to draw inspiration from them, adapting their principles to the local context.

The choice of vendors is not a technical detail, it is a strategic decision. The long-term success of 5G will depend not only on speed and cost, but on transparency, trust, and cyber resilience. There are risks posed by high-risk vendors that do not meet essential security or governance standards.

But our engagement goes beyond regulation. The EU is not only strengthening digital capacity at home – we are shaping the global digital rulebook. Through initiatives like the Global Gateway, the Digital Compass, and bilateral digital partnerships, we are championing secure, open, and human-centric digital development.

Egypt plays a key role in this global conversation. Your participation in initiatives such as the AU–EU Digital for Development Hub, the MEDUSA submarine cable flagship project, and the expressed interest in the Digital Europe Programme are strong signals of its commitment to regional and global alignment.

Let today’s forum be a platform to deepen our cooperation. Let us work together to ensure that Egypt’s 5G future is not only fast, but trusted, inclusive, and resilient.

The European Union stands ready to support this transition – with regulatory expertise, trusted technology partners, and long-term investment aligned with shared values.

I look forward to the discussions ahead and to continued collaboration with our Egyptian and international partners.

Thank you and I wish us all a successful and productive forum.