Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Tuesday reviewed the country's plans for digital transformation and efforts to attract more investment into the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. Madbouly met with Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, at the government's headquarters in New Alamein to follow up on joint files between their ministries. According to a cabinet spokesperson, the meeting covered joint efforts to support the state's digital transformation plans and to attract more investment to Egypt's ICT sector. The officials also discussed progress in strengthening international cooperation with various countries and development partners to maximise the use of technology in supporting development and to exchange expertise in the ICT fields. The meeting highlighted efforts to build bridges of cooperation with international organisations and different countries to exchange expertise in digital transformation, implement specialised training initiatives to prepare a qualified digital workforce, and support ICT startups by creating a stimulating environment for digital innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the country.
The meeting comes as Egypt's ICT sector has witnessed significant growth in recent years. The sector's annual growth has exceeded 16%, with its contribution to GDP rising to 5.8% from 3.2% in 2014. The country now ranks top in Africa for fixed internet speed and has significantly improved its position in global indices, climbing 49 places in the Government AI Readiness Index since 2019. Key government initiatives have included the Digital Egypt platform, which has 8 million registered users, and various artificial intelligence projects for healthcare. Egypt has also focused heavily on digital capacity-building, with the budget for training grants increasing 25-fold between the 2018/19 and 2023/24 fiscal years. The number of trainees rose from 4,000 to nearly 400,000 during this period. The country's outsourcing sector has also developed, now employing over 145,000 specialists in more than 195 centres that export digital services to over 175 international companies.
The meeting was also attended by the CEO of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority, the CEO of Telecom Egypt, and the Assistant Minister of Planning for Infrastructure Affairs.
