President Hosni Mubarak's interest in the communications and IT sector is mainly designed to turn Egypt into a technology-exporting country, said Minister of Communications Ahmed Nazif on Sunday.
Winding up a three-day visit to France, Nazif said his ministry was focused on the regional dimension of the IT industry, with the aim of exporting to Arab and African countries, Egypt Online quoted him as saying.
“Within this framework, the offshore development project for setting up and exporting software is being adopted,” he added.
The volume of Egyptian IT investments has witnessed a leap, increasing from LE290 million ($75 million) in 1999 to LE620 million ($160 million) in the year 2000, Nazif said, adding that a similar surge was expected this year.
“IT will contribute to realizing genuine economic progress in Egypt, which has good infrastructure, including a telephone network, roads, communications and an airport, in addition to trained manpower,” the minister said.
During his visit to Paris, Nazif said he met with French Secretary of State for Industry Christian Pierret, as well as the heads of major French IT and communications companies.
He said these firms had voiced interest in investing in Egypt, in view of the success of French firm operating in Egypt in the fields of mobiles and satellites, according to the news service.
His talks with Pierret tackled means of enhancing bilateral cooperation in the IT domain, and the facilities provided by the Egyptian government for luring investment and establishing a free trade zone in the IT realm, Nazif said.
He also briefed Pierret on the process of privatizing Egypt Telecom, benefiting from France's experience in this respect, said Egypt Online – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
