Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Egypt)
Encyclopedia
The Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) is the government body responsible for information and communications technology (ICT) issues in the Arab Republic of Egypt
. Established in 1999, MCIT is responsible for the planning, implementation and operation of government plans and strategies related to ICT.
The ministry is led by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, who is nominated by the Prime Minister
and is a member of the cabinet
. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology is Dr. Mohamed Abd-el-Kader Salem
.
MCIT has its headquarters at Smart Village Egypt
, Building B1, Kilometer 28, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. Smart Village is an ICT and business park that also hosts other governmental authorities, local and multinational ICT companies, financial authorities and institutions, educational institutions and research and development centers.
announced the inauguration of a national program to develop the information and communication technology sector in Egypt. The goals of the program were to foster the development of an information society in Egypt and stimulate the growth of a strong, competitive, vibrant, export-oriented ICT sector. The cornerstone of this program was the establishment of the new Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in October 1999, to lead these efforts.
MCIT, then headed by Dr. Ahmed Nazif
, soon launched a National Plan for Communications and Information Technology, establishing projects and initiatives, including the Egyptian Information Society Initiative (EISI), geared to support and empower public-private partnerships to develop and expand telecommunications infrastructure; provide ICT access to all citizens; develop meaningful Arabic content; establish a large pool of trained ICT professionals to create and innovate; build a policy framework and support infrastructure to foster the growth of a powerful and competitive ICT industry; and leverage ICT to empower development in health, education, government, commerce, culture and other areas.
Since its establishment, MCIT, in partnership with other government bodies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, has worked to develop the foundational infrastructure and framework for an information society in Egypt. Following the conclusion in 2006 of the Egyptian Information Society Initiative, MCIT initiated a strategy covering the period from 2007 to 2010 with the declared objective of further restructuring the sector, developing a knowledge society and supporting the ICT industry with a focus on expanding exports of ICT products and services. According to the 2010 ICT Strategy, the ministry’s main priorities are to:
, has held the position from July 2004 till February 2011. Dr. Magued Osman
has held the position in the caretaker government from February 2011 till July 2011.
The National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Egypt was founded in 2003 according to the Telecommunications Regulation Law as a national authority to administer the telecommunication sector. The scope of the NTRA’s work covers issues related to transparency, open competition, universal service and protection of user rights. The NTRA acts as an independent arbiter for ICT sector stakeholders.
Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA)
Located in Smart Village, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency is a government entity mandated to boost the development of the Egyptian IT sector and increase its global competitiveness. Affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, ITIDA is tasked with developing the IT industry through identifying the needs of local industry and addressing them with tailored programs. The agency’s responsibilities also include enhancing the Egyptian cybersecurity and data protection framework to facilitate e-business and business process outsourcing (BPO) activities.
Through its Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Office, ITIDA aims at ensuring effective enforcement of the Copyright Law, fighting piracy and sanctioning infringements in order to guarantee effective protection for computer programs and databases. The IPR Office works to raise awareness and understanding of intellectual property rights in the software community and for the public at large, and cooperates with different bodies concerned with IPR on both the national and international levels. The office also functions as a depository for computer programs and databases, provides licenses for reproducing and translating computer programs and databases for educational purposes, and issues mandatory permission to practice for software enterprises.
Egypt Post
Founded in 1865, the Egyptian National Post Organization (ENPO) is the largest provider of postal services in Egypt, providing services including the delivery of correspondence, documents, money and goods.
Information Technology Institute (ITI)
The Information Technology Institute was founded in 1992 by the Government of Egypt’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) to assist in paving the way for the evolution of a knowledge-based society by developing a new generation of professionals. Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif transferred the affiliation of ITI to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in April 2005. Every year, ITI accepts a limited number of graduates of any discipline for its training program, which offers 14 various specializations.
National Telecommunication Institute (NTI)
The National Telecommunication Institute was founded in 1984 as a scientific institute with university status affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The institute specializes in training, education and research activities in the field of telecommunications.
Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage "CULTNAT"
The Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage was established in January 2000 as a project operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. In 2003, CULTNAT become an affiliate of MCIT and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The center runs an array of projects and programs for the documentation of both the tangible and intangible aspects of Egypt’s cultural and natural heritage, including archaeology, architecture, manuscripts, music, folklore, caricatures, plastic arts and natural resources.
Egypt’s Smart Village is a business park covering 3 million square meters offering high-tech facilities and infrastructure for IT and telecom companies.
Nile University
Established in 2006, Nile University
is a not-for-profit institution of higher education dedicated to excellence in technology-related fields with focus on business development and applied research. It is the first university in Egypt to specialize in postgraduate education and research. The university is a partnership between civil society (Egyptian Foundation for Technology Education and Development, EFTED), the government (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology) and the ICT industry.
Technology Development Fund
The Technology Development Fund is a venture capital fund established by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in 2004 as a public-private partnership to finance and support Egyptian startups in the ICT sector.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Established in 1999, MCIT is responsible for the planning, implementation and operation of government plans and strategies related to ICT.
The ministry is led by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, who is nominated by the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Egypt
The Prime Minister of Egypt is the head of the Egyptian government. According to the constitution, the prime minister is the leader of the largest political party in the Egyptian Parliament....
and is a member of the cabinet
Cabinet of Egypt
The Cabinet of Egypt is the chief executive body of the Arabic Republic of Egypt. It consists of the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers....
. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology is Dr. Mohamed Abd-el-Kader Salem
Mohamed Abd-el-Kader Salem
Mohamed Abd-el-Kader Salem is an Egyptian academic and politician. He is minister of Communications and Information Technology in the cabinet of Dr. Essam Sharaf from 21 July 2011....
.
MCIT has its headquarters at Smart Village Egypt
Smart Village Egypt
Smart Village, Egypt is a village established by Republican Decree no.355 in 2000, with activities starting in 2001. It is located on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road in the Abu Rawash area to the west of the capital...
, Building B1, Kilometer 28, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. Smart Village is an ICT and business park that also hosts other governmental authorities, local and multinational ICT companies, financial authorities and institutions, educational institutions and research and development centers.
Background
In September 1999, Former President Hosni MubarakHosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
announced the inauguration of a national program to develop the information and communication technology sector in Egypt. The goals of the program were to foster the development of an information society in Egypt and stimulate the growth of a strong, competitive, vibrant, export-oriented ICT sector. The cornerstone of this program was the establishment of the new Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in October 1999, to lead these efforts.
MCIT, then headed by Dr. Ahmed Nazif
Ahmed Nazif
Ahmed Nazif served as the Prime Minister of Egypt from 14 July 2004 to 29 January 2011, when his cabinet was dismissed by President Hosni Mubarak in light of a popular uprising that led to the Egyptian Revolution of 2011...
, soon launched a National Plan for Communications and Information Technology, establishing projects and initiatives, including the Egyptian Information Society Initiative (EISI), geared to support and empower public-private partnerships to develop and expand telecommunications infrastructure; provide ICT access to all citizens; develop meaningful Arabic content; establish a large pool of trained ICT professionals to create and innovate; build a policy framework and support infrastructure to foster the growth of a powerful and competitive ICT industry; and leverage ICT to empower development in health, education, government, commerce, culture and other areas.
Vision and Mission
Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology was established to facilitate the country’s assimilation into the global information society. Its mandate is to support the development of the local ICT industry, thereby boosting exports and creating jobs; promote the use of ICT nationwide as a means to achieve national development goals; and build the foundations of a knowledge society in Egypt in close collaboration with other governmental, civil society and private sector entities.Since its establishment, MCIT, in partnership with other government bodies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, has worked to develop the foundational infrastructure and framework for an information society in Egypt. Following the conclusion in 2006 of the Egyptian Information Society Initiative, MCIT initiated a strategy covering the period from 2007 to 2010 with the declared objective of further restructuring the sector, developing a knowledge society and supporting the ICT industry with a focus on expanding exports of ICT products and services. According to the 2010 ICT Strategy, the ministry’s main priorities are to:
- Continue development of state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure that provides an enabling environment for government and businesses throughout Egypt and links it globally
- Create a vibrant and export-oriented ICT industry
- Leverage public-private partnerships as an implementation mechanism whenever possible
- Enable society to absorb and benefit from expanding sources of information
- Create a learning community whose members have access to all the resources and information they require regardless of gender and location, thereby allowing all to achieve their full potential and play a part in the country’s socioeconomic development
- Support the development of the skills required by the ICT industry
- Support research and innovation in ICT
Ministers
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is a relatively new entity, established in October 1999. Dr. Ahmed Nazif served as the first Minister of Communications and Information Technology, from 1999 to 2004. His successor, Dr. Tarek KamelTarek Kamel
Tarek Mohamed Kamel is an Egyptian academic and politician. He was the Minister of Communication and Information Technology in the cabinet of Dr. Ahmed Nazif from July 2004 to February 2011....
, has held the position from July 2004 till February 2011. Dr. Magued Osman
Magued Osman
Dr. Magued Osman is the former minister of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt from February to July 2011 in the caretaker government....
has held the position in the caretaker government from February 2011 till July 2011.
Initiatives
MCIT initiatives, and their declared aims, include the following:- ICT sector restructuring, including legislative reform to create a market more appealing to local and foreign investment
- Free Internet: a service launched in January 2002 by Telecom EgyptTelecom EgyptTelecom Egypt or Telecom Egypt SAE , is Egypt’s main Telephone company. It started in 1854 with the first telegraph line in Egypt...
in partnership with the majority of the country’s Internet service providers eliminating monthly subscription fees for dial-up Internet access, with users required only to pay the price of the local phone call to connect to the network
- Broadband Initiative: launched in May 2004 to increase the availability of high-speed broadband connections at reduced flat rates and to promote public awareness of the advantages of broadband Internet access over dial-up access
- Fixed and Mobile Licensing Program: this resulted in a national roaming agreement signed by the three mobile operators (MobinilMobinilMobinil is one of Egypt's three mobile phone operators. Founded in 1998. The company is majority-owned and fully consolidated by France Télécom , which holds 71.25% of the shares in "Mobinil Telecom," the rest of the shares being held by Orascom Telecom...
, Vodafone EgyptVodafone EgyptVodafone Egypt is Egypt's largest mobile network operator. It was launched in 1998 and was formerly known as Click GSM.-About Vodafone Egypt:Vodafone Egypt is a telecommunications service and product provider. It was established in 1998...
and Etisalat EgyptEtisalat EgyptEtisalat Egypt is a subsidiary of Etisalat U.A.E., the sole telecommunications services provider in the United Arab Emirates from 1976 until the arrival of Du in February 2007, and the first 3.5G network operator in Egypt. Etisalat Misr is one of 18 service providers managed by Etisalat in the...
) and the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA) in June 2007 to provide users with expanded 3G services - Launch of the country code top-level domain “.misr”
- Postal sector reform program: launched in 2002 to modernize Egypt Post by improving service, expanding capabilities and developing new revenue streams
- Enhancement of the framework governing use of ICT networks and services
- ICT for Development: a group of projects designed to leverage the potential of ICT to help Egypt achieve its human development goals and improve the lives of citizens using public-private partnerships to facilitate the planning, implementation, analysis and dissemination of projects throughout all sectors of the economy, including health, education, culture and government services
- Promotion of innovation and ICT industry development, including research and development, training, investment and e-business
- Establishment of technology parks, including Smart Village and Maadi Contact Centers Park
- Development of mutually beneficial partnerships with governments and agencies, civil society organizations and multilateral organizations around the world to share expertise and explore and develop opportunities
Affiliate Organizations
National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA)The National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Egypt was founded in 2003 according to the Telecommunications Regulation Law as a national authority to administer the telecommunication sector. The scope of the NTRA’s work covers issues related to transparency, open competition, universal service and protection of user rights. The NTRA acts as an independent arbiter for ICT sector stakeholders.
Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA)
Located in Smart Village, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency is a government entity mandated to boost the development of the Egyptian IT sector and increase its global competitiveness. Affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, ITIDA is tasked with developing the IT industry through identifying the needs of local industry and addressing them with tailored programs. The agency’s responsibilities also include enhancing the Egyptian cybersecurity and data protection framework to facilitate e-business and business process outsourcing (BPO) activities.
Through its Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Office, ITIDA aims at ensuring effective enforcement of the Copyright Law, fighting piracy and sanctioning infringements in order to guarantee effective protection for computer programs and databases. The IPR Office works to raise awareness and understanding of intellectual property rights in the software community and for the public at large, and cooperates with different bodies concerned with IPR on both the national and international levels. The office also functions as a depository for computer programs and databases, provides licenses for reproducing and translating computer programs and databases for educational purposes, and issues mandatory permission to practice for software enterprises.
Egypt Post
Founded in 1865, the Egyptian National Post Organization (ENPO) is the largest provider of postal services in Egypt, providing services including the delivery of correspondence, documents, money and goods.
Information Technology Institute (ITI)
The Information Technology Institute was founded in 1992 by the Government of Egypt’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) to assist in paving the way for the evolution of a knowledge-based society by developing a new generation of professionals. Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif transferred the affiliation of ITI to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in April 2005. Every year, ITI accepts a limited number of graduates of any discipline for its training program, which offers 14 various specializations.
National Telecommunication Institute (NTI)
The National Telecommunication Institute was founded in 1984 as a scientific institute with university status affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The institute specializes in training, education and research activities in the field of telecommunications.
Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage "CULTNAT"
The Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage was established in January 2000 as a project operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. In 2003, CULTNAT become an affiliate of MCIT and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The center runs an array of projects and programs for the documentation of both the tangible and intangible aspects of Egypt’s cultural and natural heritage, including archaeology, architecture, manuscripts, music, folklore, caricatures, plastic arts and natural resources.
Related Institutions
Smart VillageEgypt’s Smart Village is a business park covering 3 million square meters offering high-tech facilities and infrastructure for IT and telecom companies.
Nile University
Established in 2006, Nile University
Nile University
Nile University is a not-for-profit institution of higher learning. The University was established in Egypt in July 2006 by the Egyptian Foundation for Technological Education Development ....
is a not-for-profit institution of higher education dedicated to excellence in technology-related fields with focus on business development and applied research. It is the first university in Egypt to specialize in postgraduate education and research. The university is a partnership between civil society (Egyptian Foundation for Technology Education and Development, EFTED), the government (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology) and the ICT industry.
Technology Development Fund
The Technology Development Fund is a venture capital fund established by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in 2004 as a public-private partnership to finance and support Egyptian startups in the ICT sector.
External links
- Ministry of Communications and Information Technology official site
- Egypt ICT Indicators
- National Telecommunication Institute (NTI)
- National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA)
- Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA)
- Information Technology Institute (ITI)
- Nile University
- Center for Documentation of Cultural & Natural Heritage
- Smart Village Cairo, business and technology park