Staff report: CAIRO, Sept 2 , 2018 - Cairo University on Sunday signed a co-operation agreement in the field of supporting the digital economy in Arab countries with the Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU). The agreement was signed by Cairo University President Dr Mohamed Othman and CAEU Secretary General Mohamed al-Rabie. Planning, Follow-up and Administrative Reform Minister Dr Hala el-Saeed attended the signing ceremony. El-Saeed expressed hope that the agreement would boost Arab foreign trade and increase the chances of entering foreign markets. She pointed out that the economic infrastructure of many Arab countries was still weak and that the agreement would help improve it. The minister reviewed efforts by her ministry to achieve digital transformation, realise administrative development and serve corporate transparency. She said that digital transformation and a digital economy were vital for bringing about radical change in the state's administrative apparatus. Rabie thanked President Abdel Fattah El Sisi for the efforts he exerted to support Egypt's digital transformation. The Head of the Information Technology Institute, Heba Saleh, in her address on behalf of the minister of Communication and Information Technology, said the ministry was working on launching the national project for an integrated database and unified card through which citizens can receive services. Minister el-Saeed said the fourth edition of the government portal would be launched in December 2018 to activate the use of electronic payment cards. The move comes as part of the ministry's plan to activate electronic payment for government services through the Egyptian government portal (www.egypt.gov.eg,) the minister said. The world is now witnessing rapid changes in the information technology domain with the appearance of a new economy known as a digital economy, she said. But the digital economy in Arab countries faces many challenges, especially a weak infrastructure, lack of confidence in electronic transactions and the high cost of the internet. She said the agreement aims at promoting awareness of the digital economy and holding workshops to develop bills aimed at activating the digital economy's mechanisms.
