Egypt has launched its national strategy for the next five years for its ICT sector with a focus on attracting foreign investment and creating new jobs.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has outlined “seven main pillars” of its plans.
They include developing the infrastructure and organisational structure of ICT and postal services; developing ICT policies, strategies and indicators of international cooperation; and modernising IT and technological infrastructure within government ministries and agencies.
Atef Helmy, minister of communications and information technology, said the main priority was to achieve economic and social development through ICT tools and integrating digital services to make the country a “global centre” for internet services.
Helmy said the country’s broadband initiative, which will begin in September 2013 and has an investment total of US$6.4 billion (20 per cent funded by government), will set the country on its digital path.
Another feature of the country’s ambitious plan is to address the indigenous development of Egyptian electronics.
Helmy said three million tablets will be manufactured in Egypt during 2013-14 and by 2017 that number will reach six million.
The pilot project for manufacturing tablets within the country will be led by the Banha Electronic Industries Company.
During 2013-2014 alone, the strategy aims to create 50,000 new jobs. The current number of employees in the telecommunications companies, IT companies, IT and business outsourcing companies and Egypt Post is around 283,000.
In December 2012, there were 8.56 million landline subscribers, 96.8 million mobile phone users and around 32.62 million internet users.
