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Finnish company HMD Global has launched a new HMD Fuse smartphone aimed specifically at children. According to the company, it is the world's first smartphone that prevents children from filming, broadcasting or viewing nude and sexually explicit content, even while streaming.
HMD Global to set up next manufacturing hub in Egypt
29. 04. 2026 Wednesday / By: Robert Denes / Business / Exact time: BST / Print this page
HMD Global has been quietly strengthening its manufacturing footprint, this time in Egypt. Alongside the Finnish President’s official visit to Egypt, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Raafat Hindi held a high-level meeting with Jean-François Baril, Co-founder and CEO of HMD Global, to discuss the company’s plans to expand mobile phone manufacturing in Egypt and increase exports to regional markets.
The meeting was attended by Jarno Syrjälä, Finland’s Undersecretary of State for International Trade, Tapio Naula, Commercial Counsellor at the Finnish Embassy in Cairo, Eng. Ahmed El Zaher, CEO of ITIDA, as well as senior officials from Egypt’s telecommunications regulator and company representatives, including regional and local leaders.
During the discussions, HMD Global executives reviewed the progress of their local manufacturing operations, which began in 2023, highlighting the ongoing collaboration with SICO at its facility in Assiut Technology Park.
The meeting also discussed the company’s plans to begin exporting to North African markets in the near future, as well as strategies to accelerate access to broader regional markets in Africa and Europe. Both parties explored deepening local value addition by developing feeder industries, attracting component suppliers to Egypt, strengthening domestic value chains, and increasing the global competitiveness of Egyptian products.
HMD Global currently manufactures approximately 12 models in Egypt and expects total production to approach approximately two million mobile phones by 2026, including feature phones and smartphones. This growth is driven by the company’s increasing focus on smartphone manufacturing and its strategy to expand local manufacturing and export capacity.
"Engineer Raafat Hindi reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to transforming Egypt into a regional hub for mobile phone manufacturing, as part of broader efforts to localize the electronics industry and support the digital economy. He highlighted that expanding global companies’ manufacturing operations in Egypt is a key step towards local value addition and strengthening the competitiveness of Egyptian products in regional and international markets".
He also highlighted the government’s focus on creating a conducive investment environment that supports industrial expansion and increases export capacity, emphasizing the importance of partnerships between international and local companies in facilitating technology transfer and capacity building. Jean-François Baril, meanwhile, detailed HMD Global’s expansion plans for 2026-2027, which include a gradual shift to manufacturing 4G devices and increasing its smartphone portfolio. He noted that Egypt represents a strategic hub for the company’s regional operations, highlighting its competitive advantages, including a strategic geographic location and a skilled workforce. Baril added that the company aims to position Egypt as a key export base for Africa and other markets, while continuing to develop innovative solutions that enable the delivery of digital services on both smartphones and feature phones.
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