Minister of Communication and Information Technology Atef Helmy signed Tuesday a EGP 15m agreement with Minister of Industry, Foreign Trade and Investment Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour to develop the technological infrastructure and update information systems of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI). A Tuesday statement from the cabinet saidt the two-year protocol would receive equal funding from both ministries. The terms of the protocol include developing the systems and technological applications of start-up companies, automating GAFI services to be done through the authority's website and establishing a contact centre to serve investors. The development process also includes equipping the authority with the necessary communication lines, hardware and networks. The agreement comes as part of the government's plan to improve and increase the efficiency of the public authorities through depending on communication and information technology tools, the statement added. In a similar move, Helmy signed in April a protocol with the Ministry of Interior aimed at integrating new technology into the transportation sector to monitor urban streets through establishing a traffic communication centre and traffic e-portal. Helmy also signed a protocol with the Ministry of Education in March to improve technical education, vocational training and strengthening the government's role through the use of IT systems and communication in industrial schools. In an effort to develop the broader communication sector, Helmy stated that the government has adopted a seven-year, EGP 5bn national plan that would also bring communication services to remote areas.
