Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat held talks with a high-level delegation from the French Employers' Association (MEDEF International), led by Wouter Van Wersch, Executive Vice President of Airbus and head of the French business mission, to explore new French investments in Egypt's ICT sector. The meeting took place during French President Emmanuel Macron's official visit to Egypt and formed part of broader efforts to deepen economic cooperation between the two countries—particularly in the fields of communications and information technology. The delegation included senior executives from leading French multinational corporations already operating in Egypt, as well as representatives from companies exploring potential market entry. Discussions focused on key investment opportunities within Egypt's ICT sector, with an emphasis on the country's competitive edge amid rapid digital transformation, infrastructure development, and robust government support for innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital skills. Talaat emphasized the ministry's readiness to expand cooperation with French firms across various ICT domains, including outsourcing and digital services exports—relying on Egypt's highly skilled talent pool. He noted that over 180 international companies currently operate more than 200 outsourcing centers across the country. The minister outlined Egypt's vision for building a Digital Egypt, structured around three pillars: digital transformation, digital capacity-building, and digital innovation—underpinned by a governance framework and a resilient digital infrastructure. He identified several strategic goals for the sector's expansion: boosting its contribution to GDP, attracting foreign investment, accelerating digital transformation across all sectors, enhancing Egypt's position as a digital connectivity hub, and fostering digital skills and investment-friendly policies. Talaat noted that the ICT sector has been Egypt's fastest-growing sector for six consecutive years, with a growth rate of 16.3%. Its contribution to GDP has doubled, reaching 6%—up from 3.2% in 2018. Egypt also continues to lead the African continent in fixed internet speed and has maintained an "A" classification in the UN's Digital Government Readiness Index since 2022. He highlighted a dramatic scale-up in digital skills development, with the number of trainees in ICT specializations growing from 4,000 in FY 2018/2019 to a targeted 500,000 this year. Talaat also pointed to the expansion of Digital Egypt Innovation Hubs across governorates to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation nationwide. Talaat stressed Egypt's geographic advantage as a digital gateway between Asia and Europe, noting that more than 90% of global internet traffic passes through the country. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to a regulatory environment that supports growth and innovation in the ICT sector. Ahmed El-Daher, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), gave a detailed presentation on Egypt's strengths as a global outsourcing destination. He emphasized the diversity of ICT services offered and the country's potential to serve as a global digital service export hub. Sherine El-Gendy, Assistant Minister for Strategy and Implementation, elaborated on the strategic pillars of Digital Egypt and highlighted current projects to automate government services, equip citizens with digital skills, and promote digital innovation. She also discussed the second phase of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, with a focus on AI deployment in priority sectors and continued skill development. Amr Abbas, Deputy Chairperson of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) for Market Regulation and Governance, discussed the development of forward-looking regulatory frameworks to keep pace with evolving telecom technologies and to encourage investment in the sector. The meeting concluded with an open dialogue between the Egyptian and French sides, where French business leaders shared their experiences and success stories in the Egyptian market. They praised the capabilities of Egyptian youth and expressed strong interest in expanding operations and partnerships in Egypt, citing the country's thriving ICT ecosystem and dynamic investment landscape.
