Egypt's Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea has said that her ministry seeks to develop technological centres to promote the national industry. The ministry will do so by transferring and localising advanced industrial technologies, deepening local manufacturing, and increasing the competitiveness of Egyptian industrial products. This will ensure that they meet the needs of the local market and exportation to regional and global markets. The remarks came in a ministry statement, on Monday, regarding the extensive meeting Gamea held with the directors of the ministry's technology centres. The meeting addressed the current situation of the centres and future plans for their development, in addition to ways of strengthening their role in improving the national industry. Gamea said that, in the next phase, the ministry will raise the efficiency and qualifications of technological centres according to the latest international technologies. They will take on qualified staff in various fields, with the aim of improving the quality of services provided to the industrial sector. Gamea noted that it is essential to link the centres with the industrial sectors, to ensure that they benefit from the centres' services. Moreover, the minister pointed out the importance of coordinating efforts and integration between the technological centres and the various bodies of the ministry. This will maximise the benefit from these entities in terms of serving the industrial sector. She pointed out, that during the next phase, all laboratories of the technological centres will be accredited by the National Council for Accreditation (EGAC). This aims to increase the confidence of authorities in the services provided by the centres. Gamea also said that the ministry has 13 technology centres affiliated to it. They operate in the sectors of: food industries; plastic industries; furniture; fashion; jewellery and leather; quality improvement and productivity; building materials; engineering; mining industries; and leather and textile tanning. The minister noted the importance of strengthening cooperation between the technological centres and the Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC). This will support national industry and enhance its ability to keep pace with global industrial developments. It will take place by increasing production, reducing manufacturing costs, improving competitiveness, and providing research projects and training programmes for the industrial sector. Gamea called on the technology centre managers to submit a detailed report to each centre on future work plans. The reports would also outline the most prominent technical and administrative challenges they face, in order to work on solving them during the next near stage. The centres play a pivotal role in national industry, by contributing to raising the added value of Egyptian products. They also make good use of energy and resources, increase reliance on new and renewable energy, and reduce industrial emissions and recycling waste. This is in addition to providing technical support and training services to factories.
