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Arab Finance: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announced that applications opened for the third edition of the Presidential African Youth in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Competition (AYAIR) 2026, which Egypt will host on October 12th and 13th under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as per a statement.
Organized in cooperation with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Elite AI Africa Foundation, the competition is open to young Africans aged between 15 and 35. Registration will remain open until June 30.
The competition seeks to encourage participants to develop innovative solutions using artificial intelligence and robotics technologies to address development challenges across the African continent. The initiative forms part of broader continental efforts to foster technological innovation among African youth and support emerging talent in science and technology fields.
To support prospective participants, an online introductory seminar titled will be held on June 24th at 2:00 pm Cairo time to answer questions and provide further information about the competition.
This year's edition focuses on a range of development priorities, including food security, disease prevention and control within public health systems, cybersecurity, digital connectivity, and the development of knowledge-based and innovation-driven societies.
The competition features 12 tracks covering sectors and disciplines, including healthcare, education, agriculture, mining, climate, construction, architecture, fintech, AI ethics, robotics design, quantum computing, cybersecurity, digital connectivity, as well as an open category.
The competition's highest distinction, the Presidential Award, will be presented to innovations demonstrating the potential to generate measurable and sustainable impact while supporting inclusive growth across Africa.
