The 23rd edition of Cairo ICT conference and exhibition was organized on December 1-4, at Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC), under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Cairo ICT is one of the world's major events in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, covering topics including telecommunications, IT, electronics, mobile applications, integrated systems, satellite and broadcasting, hardware, software, security, Internet, mobile phone services and other relevant sectors. It brings together companies of different sizes from different major industries in a unique ecosystem.
The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat delivered a speech during the opening ceremony of Cairo ICT 2019, where he highlighted the significance of the ICT sector and referred to the efforts of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), in cooperation with the state institutions, in achieving digital transformation and financial inclusion in Egypt.
A number of events were held in parallel with Cairo ICT 2019, including the Sixth Payment, Fintech and Digital Inclusion Fair and Forum for the Middle East and Africa (PAFIX) and the First National Cyber Security Summit. Talaat delivered speeches at the two events opening ceremonies.
On the sidelines of Cairo ICT 2019, Talaat witnessed the signing of a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between MCIT and its affiliates, and national and international organizations.
An MoU was signed between the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and NEC, an international company specializing in IT and electronics. The aim is to enhance cooperation in digital economy and digital transformation, and establish NEC Center of Excellence (CoE) in Egypt to serve as a regional hub in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Another MoU was signed between ITIDA and Wuzzuf, for fostering startups incubated at the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC).
Moreover, an MoU was signed between the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) and VMware international, an American software company. The aim is to establish the first regional academy in the Middle East and Africa to provide training on virtual networking skills and security in Egypt.
The ICT Minister and the Chairman of the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) Chairman Abdel Moneim Al-Tarras witnessed the signing of three cooperation protocols between MCIT and AOI, the first of which is on integrating national databases, strengthening control capabilities using IT, and assisting in achieving digital transformation in Egypt.
The second is on developing the infrastructure, communications and information infrastructure; programs on law enforcement system; and projects of public prosecution premises. The third protocol is within the framework of utilizing MCIT technical expertise to get the top technical advantages of AOI projects, to promote local manufacturing and increase the added value of these projects.
Another cooperation protocol was inked between AOI and the Egyptian National Post Organization (ENPO), within the framework of achieving the state's strategy of favoring local products and enhancing constructive cooperation among the state institutions in various fields.
Furthermore, ENPO signed two more cooperation protocols, one with Temenos Group on applying the best integrated technological solutions on financial, postal and government services. The other was signed with Tamweely to facilitate the citizens' submission of applications for small and micro loans through postal service centers, nationwide.
