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Egypt's Information Society |
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Introduction |
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| Introduction
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‘ The Information Society is an evolving concept that has reached different
levels across the world, reflecting the different stages of
development.Technological and other changes are rapidly transforming the
environment in which the Information Society is developed.’
WSIS Plan of Action, December 2003
The United Nations Millennium Declaration set to address development goals at
national, regional, and international levels for 190 developing countries.
During the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), a
Plan of Action of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development
goals was formulated. This provided clear goals to advance achievement, and
define internationally agreed objectives set by the Millennium Declaration
Goals and the WSIS agenda. Egypt is now making ongoing progress to fulfil its
obligation to achieving the Millennium Declaration Goals by adopting the Plan
of Action as a framework for change, particularly in the areas of economic and
political reform, social policies, and gender sensitive development. Egypt was
actively involved in shaping the WSIS Plan of Action for international ICT
development and progress of countries to Information Societies.
Whilst Egypt has seen huge growth in the ICT sector in the last years, this was
the beginning of a larger change in the country. The last seven years have
witnessed 30 billion invested in ICT companies, and an overall growth in the
industry of 700 percent. The number of companies in sector exceeds 1570
companies employing approximately 35,000. However despite all the achievements
of past years within improved infrastructure and public services, Egypt is
still facing many major barriers. Accelerated population growth and a
consequent pressure on the labour market, education and the provision of health
care services, housing and utilities, to name some examples. Egypt is now
facing these challenges in the middle of changing global conditions, where
trade borders are vanishing and competition is increasing in every sector.
Success under current global conditions has become linked to the country’s
ability to overcome the challenges of globalisation. The Egyptian government
holds successful implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action goals as
instrumental in developing ICT industry opportunity and maintaining position in
the world markets.
President Mubarak announced Egypt’s Vision of the Information Society in Phase
I of WSIS,’ setting out clear objectives to achieve these goals. Former
Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Ahmed Nazif, was
instrumental in formulating the original strategies of this vision in Egypt,
and now sits as Prime Minister, continuing to ensure governmental direction to
these objectives as well as political support at the highest level. Since
conception of these, Egypt has made great steps forward in its progress towards
an Information Society. The current ministry is implementing Egypt’s obligation
to the WSIS Action Plan with great success, addressing all aspects of life and
industry with new development policy. Egypt’s realisation of these objectives
and the ongoing progress are presented in this document, ‘Egypt’s Information
Society.’
The Egyptian government has set three main pillars where policy and development
are currently concentrated, that are interwoven to allow Egypt to present
itself as a world class provider of services and industry, and at the same time
address development issues internally. Firstly, huge emphasis is being placed
on continuing research and development which is being carried out in the
application of ICTs in traditional and new industries to allow Egypt to become
and remain a world class competitor. Progress is being seen as no longer
dependent on natural resources but rather on creativity and innovation.
Research and Development Centres of Excellence have been established to provide
platforms for Egyptian researchers to work within. Each will act as a
consortium to bring together professionals, private sector initiatives, and
educational establishments for the development of ICT.
The second pillar, considered as crucial part in benefiting all, is the
provision of total access to the Internet and related services to encourage
entrepreneurs and markets to fulfil their potential. The government’s policy of
e-Access is particularly oriented as a foundation for using the power of ICT to
assist in the development of traditional and older industries in Egypt.
Companies must be assisted in realising their existing potential for output by
exploring the application of new ICTs to create increased employment
opportunities. Continuing consideration is being given to reaching out to the
poorer, rural areas where ICT furthers the objectives of capacity building in
the community. Schemes such as IT Clubs continue to be successful as
educational and access centres in outlying areas, particularly for women, and
are also managed by partnering, local Non Governmental Organisations.
The third pillar of Egypt’s Information Society progress is maintaining
regulatory policies have been put in place allowing Egypt to become an
attractive foreign investment opportunity. Attaining world class industry in
Egypt is to come hand in hand with the creation of new employment, and not, as
is often the case with modernisation of industry, with downsizing and
streamlining of companies. Expansion of the workforce, in the process of
reaching the world stage, is being achieved through the creation of new and
larger markets and capacity building. Deregulatory policy is creating such
markets, but with a business environment that allows markets to change rapidly,
regulatory policies are being formulated to be adaptable, sustainable, and
fluid. Working on the success of the establishment of the National
Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, the foundation has been set for
extensive deregulation within Egypt. Privatisation is also encouraging freer
markets, with the example of the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Telecom Egypt
towards the end of 2005, to allow new telecommunications opportunities. Egypt’s
commitments to the World Trade Organisation have seen huge reduction in customs
tariffs for ICT technology which allowed more economical implementation of many
schemes in the country.
The Egyptian Information Society initiative in the past five years has made
great steps forward in the modernisation of its ICT infrastructure. Solid
foundations have been laid for continuing development at a rate Egypt’s society
can also adapt to. The Digital Divide within Egypt’s industries, people, and
wide ranging culture is slowly closing to allow the country to move forward as
a whole, and not just certain sectors. Using this foundation of infrastructure
will allow a solid education base and opportunity to the population to adapt
and use for themselves ICT developments. A complete concept of ‘service for
all’ is being adopted and has been the crucial backbone of Egypt’s e-Government
policy. This very much translates into policy that equally benefits traditional
industries as well as new. As an example agriculture is one of Egypt’s largest
employment industries, and whilst it is low technology sector, policy has been
implemented to offer related service through various web portals. In a similar
fashion ICT development has been used effectively in the petroleum industry,
particularly in the field of survey and more extraction management.
The government admitted that an open, market oriented, and stable economic
environment is a necessary, but not sufficient condition to building a
knowledge based society in Egypt. What was needed in addition was to supplement
the aforementioned economic reforms with a focused and concerted effort that
combines the imaginative use of emerging technologies with creative Public
Private Partnerships and Multi Stakeholder Partnerships to accelerate
development. The government maintains a strong and cooperative relationship
with Non Governmental Organisations, and this partnering has seen a catalogue
of successes, particularly in the implementation of e-Access policy. The ICT
sector in Egypt has become a model of success in the use of Public Private
Partnerships, and the Prime Minister and his cabinet remain committed to the
use of partnering as a foundation for development. Working practices and
cultures are changing worldwide as ICT technology alters the way we work.
Societies need to address issues of adequate privacy, security, protection of
intellectual property, and facing new challenges such as cyber-crime. Ongoing
regulatory policies are seen as a necessity to cater for a changing market
environment, and to address the new challenges at this stage of Egypt’s
development. In all aspects of development the government considers that it
must install confidence in its people and society that the actions taken will
positively benefit all, and that full use of new e-Government services offered
will be made. As ICT in Egypt moves into a new era, a dynamic and adaptable
government policy is necessary as the country moves from its vision of, to
progress to an Information Society.
Introduction
 The
Foundation for the Information Society
e-Access
Innovation
Capacity Building
Enabling
Environment
Industry
Development
ICT
Applications: Benefits in All Aspects of Life
International and Regional Cooperation
Conclusion
References
Appendix
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