Egypt eyes production of digital, IT technologies: deputy min.

CAIRO - 23 March 2021: Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Kamali stated Tuesday that Egypt aims for shifting towards the production of digital and information technologies turning from modern technology consumer into modern technology producer.

Kamali's statements were made during his participated in the side event titled "Industrialization in the Digital Age: Key Findings and Visions from the Industrial Development Report 2020".

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization "UNIDO" organized this event within the activities of the 53rd session of the African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Conference via video conference.

The deputy minister asserted the Egyptian state’s interest in implementing a comprehensive digital transformation in all fields. That is driven by an increasing demand for technology use in all sectors, indicating the importance of the transformation from consumers of technology to producers of technology.

Kamali underscored to the Egyptian state’s interest in supporting training and vocational education, pointing out to the establishment of nine technology universities in Egypt, and noting that the communications and information technology sector in Egypt has experienced a double-digit growth rate over the past three years.

Kamali explained that public investment directed to this sector amounts to approximately 6.7% of public investments in Egypt, and that the largest percentage of it is directed to infrastructure and improving the networking of the information technology sector in Egypt.

Kamali also stated that the rate of foreign direct investment directed to this sector amounted to 3.7% of the total investments in FY 2019/2020, and therefore work must be done to increase this percentage.

Kamali underlined the Egyptian state’s interest in achieving digital transformation within the education system by developing the pre-university education system to rely on information technology and creative thinking.

Kamali also showcased the Egyptian state’s orientation towards establishing technological centers that offers governmental services to citizens in a faster time.

Kamali pointed out that the experience of establishing technological centers was beneficial because it is based on the concept of digital transformation that establishes the principle of governance, seeks to eliminate corruption, and reduces human interference in government transactions.

Kamali added that the Egyptian state is also working on using technology in the application of social protection by using automated cards to direct subsidies to those who deserve it, and the Egyptian state also uses satellite technology to monitor the status of national projects that are being worked on.

Kamali stressed that the emergence of the Corona pandemic contributed to highlighting the importance of digital transformation, and the pandemic also intensified the country's efforts to implement digital transformation in various fields, indicating the need for African countries to strongly move towards digital transformation and to increase investment in it.

Kamali ended his speech by referring to the “Digital Divide” and its effect on the exacerbation of inequality between regions in one country, one country, or even between different countries.

Therefore, work must be done to bridge this gap by increasing investments in this vital sector, in addition to improving the availability of technological means to include all groups of society.