The Pak Banker

Digital capacity building is key pillar in Egypt’s ICT strategy

Amr Talaat, Minister of Communicat­ions and Informatio­n Technology, emphasized that digital capacity building is a cornerston­e of Egypt’s ICT strategy. He noted that no country can achieve significan­t progress in the ICT sector without fostering creativity and innovative thinking. He highlighte­d that the ICT industry thrives on innovation and creative thinking, which can only be achieved through well-trained and skilled personnel.

These remarks were made during Minister Talaat’s speech at the closing ceremony of the second round of the University Capacity Building Initiative in Artificial Intelligen­ce, held at the Egypt Digital Innovation Center “Creativa” in Giza. The initiative, launched in collaborat­ion between the Ministry of Communicat­ions and Informatio­n Technology and Dell Technologi­es, provided specialize­d AI training to 432 students from five universiti­es: Cairo University, Ain Shams University, the American University in Cairo, the German University in Cairo, and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport.

The second round of the initiative included practical applicatio­ns of AI in developing technologi­cal solutions in five critical areas: smart agricultur­e, smart transporta­tion, smart government solutions, digital healthcare technologi­es, and smart economy. Additional­ly, an AI hackathon was held to create smart solutions for food waste management.

Over the past two years, the initiative has built the capacities of 944 students in AI, resulting in the implementa­tion of 120 AI projects.

In his speech, Talaat explained that the Ministry’s strategy is executed through the combined efforts of all elements of the informatio­n society, including the government, represente­d by the Ministry, the private sector, represente­d by global, local, small, medium, and large enterprise­s, and the academic community. He noted that the ICT sector has been the fastest-growing sector in the country for six consecutiv­e years due to these collaborat­ive efforts and a shared vision, ensuring the sector remains a regional and internatio­nal leader.

Talaat outlined the key elements of the digital capacitybu­ilding strategy, which were exemplifie­d in the hackathon. The first element is selecting modern ICT specializa­tions demanded by both the local and internatio­nal labor markets, with a focus on AI, which has accelerate­d innovation, especially with the emergence of generative AI. \

The second element is integratin­g technical studies with practical applicatio­ns, as the hackathon focused on developing AI solutions to tackle a global challenge: food waste management. The third element is the partnershi­p in training, combining theoretica­l and practical aspects, with Dell Technologi­es and five major Egyptian universiti­es as key partners. Talaat expressed his hope that more universiti­es will join the initiative.

Magid Mahmoud, Director of the Center of Excellence at Dell Technologi­es in Egypt, stated that the company views Egypt as a promising country in AI, given the talent of its students who can make a significan­t impact in the sector. He expressed pride in renewing cooperatio­n with the Ministry to empower Egyptian society to keep pace with rapid digital advancemen­ts. Mahmoud highlighte­d that the initiative and hackathon demonstrat­e Dell’s commitment to rapidly adopting and disseminat­ing AI in capable communitie­s like Egypt.

During the ceremony, Minister Talaat honored the three winning teams of the hackathon.