Egypt's ITIDA signs 3 protocols with civil society organisations to promote ICT

Authority to provide administrative, technical, financial support with EGP 50m budget to civil work institutions operating in ICT sector

The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has signed three protocols with three civil society organisations to enhance joint cooperation working in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Under the three-year cooperation protocols, the authority will provide administrative, technical, and financial support with a budget estimated at EGP 50m to civil work institutions operating in the sector.
These are represented by: the Chamber of Information Technology and Communication (CIT); the Egyptian Information, Telecommunications, Electronics, and Software Alliance (EITESAL); and the Digital Economy and Technology General Division (DETGD) in the General Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.
ITIDA CEO Amr Mahfouz said that cooperation protocols were carefully reviewed this year and amended with the establishment of participatory frameworks between all parties.
This aims to achieve fruitful cooperation in a way that serves the implementation of the authority's strategy. It also aims to serve the complementary roles in designing and implementing development programmes and initiatives to meet the needs of the industry.
Mahfouz highlighted that developing the information technology (IT) sector is a shared responsibility between the authority and civil society organisations.
He indicated that the authority will work to achieve maximum benefit by creating an environment for cooperation that depends on achieving gains for all parties. This would take place in a way that meets the interests of the member companies of those organisations, and which serves the authority's strategy.
This strategy is based on three main axes represented in opening new markets for the sector, developing skills, and stimulating technological innovation.
CIT Chairperson Walid Gad said that the chamber is working to maximise the benefit for companies through a number of basic axes.
This is namely: supporting human capabilities and training; consolidating Egypt's role in the region through international activities and commercial missions; shedding light on Egyptian creativity through innovation and entrepreneurship programmes; in addition to developing local demand and raising the efficiency of Egyptian companies.
For his part, DETGD Head Khalil Hassan Khalil said that the first phase of the Tawteen initiative will be launched immediately in cooperation with ITIDA and a number of banks operating in the Egyptian market. These include Banque Misr and QNB Al-Ahly Bank.
The initiative aims to stimulate small and micro enterprises, so that they can benefit from digital transformation, create new non-traditional job opportunities for companies, and open new markets for companies and entrepreneurs.