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The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat, the Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy, and the President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) Ismail Abdel Ghafar have attended the closing ceremony of the Egyptian Collegiate Programming Contest (ECPC). The event was hosted by AASTMT in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

The Contest aims to develop programming skills among Egyptian youth and equip them to compete in international arenas.

In his remarks, the ICT Minister underlined the transformation of the ICT sector from a specialized industry into a shared foundation for various sectors, placing a significant responsibility on the ICT workforce to collaborate with all state sectors in harnessing ICT capabilities, innovation, and creativity to advance different industries.

Talaat emphasized that MCIT launched multiple digital capacity-building initiatives for different youth segments. He highlighted the fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in leveraging youth centers to extend the reach of these training initiatives to a broad spectrum of beneficiaries.

Furthermore, the ICT Minister referred to MCIT’s Digitopia hackathon, which allows participants of different age groups to compete in three key ICT specializations: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and software development, digital arts, and cybersecurity. He added that the hackathon offers multiple prizes totaling EGP 10 million, including a grand prize of EGP 1 million. Such contests serve as invaluable scientific platforms enabling contestants to gain knowledge and experience while networking with peers from different governorates.

Talaat also commended AASTMT’s ongoing development. He expressed his confidence in the potential of Egyptian youth and stressed that placing trust in their success and creativity is always a wise investment. In addition, he encouraged the contestants to continuously update their knowledge and cultivate self-learning skills to stay abreast of rapid tech advancements.

For his part, Sobhy stated that organizing ECPC reflects the government’s commitment to nurturing talent and fostering innovation among university students. He pointed to the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ ongoing efforts to provide platforms that offer young people opportunities to showcase their creativity in various fields, including technology and software.

The Minister of Youth and Sports also pointed out that the performance of participants he observed reflects the substantial investment in young minds, which stands as one of the key pillars of Egypt’s comprehensive development plan. He noted that his Ministry will continue cooperating with various entities to prepare a generation capable of competing regionally and globally in digital innovation.

Moreover, Sobhy emphasized his Ministry’s dedication to nurturing and supporting scientific initiatives and events that help discover and refine youth skills, especially in programming and tech innovation, in line with the state’s vision to empower youth across multiple fields. He affirmed that this contest serves as a vital platform for preparing a generation capable of competing in local and international labor markets. Sobhy also praised the exceptional performance of this year’s participants and the organizational efforts that created a stimulating competitive environment.

In addition, the Minister of Youth and Sports underscored that this success reflects the strong backing of the political leadership for youth, grounded in confidence in their ability to innovate and actively contribute to the development process and the building of the new republic. He underscored that his Ministry will continue providing comprehensive support to talented and outstanding young people across various scientific, cultural, and sports fields.

Abdel Ghafar, for his part, expressed AASTMT’s pride in hosting this prestigious contest over the past 17 years, highlighting its firm commitment to supporting ICT and digital innovation. He pointed out that the Academy aims to empower Egyptian, Arab, and African youth in keeping pace with global digital transformation and the national efforts to build a knowledge-based society driven by technology.

AASTMT President explained that in 2001, the Academy established MENA’s first Regional Informatics Center (RIC) in Alexandria, with investments exceeding USD 2 million. RIC has played a crucial role in organizing programming and robotics contests that have significantly impacted participants’ lives by helping develop their technical and intellectual skills and inspiring creativity and innovation, he added.

The Academy spares no effort in preparing its students for international contests, Abdel Ghafar pointed out, by organizing intensive bootcamps inside and outside Egypt. He noted that the contest’s concept focuses on upskilling students to systematically solve real-world industrial problems.

Abdel Ghafar also thanked the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the ICT Minister, and the Minister of Youth and Sports for their continuous support. He stressed that the contestant students are the pioneers of tomorrow and the builders of the future. He emphasized that true victory lies in the skills, friendships, and self-confidence they have gained. He also encouraged the contestants to be ambassadors for their countries in creativity and innovation.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Talaat, Sobhy, and Abdel Ghafar honored the winning teams.

It is worth noting that the contest’s judging panel comprised seven judges from Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Germany, and France, reflecting the event’s international scope.

The closing ceremony was attended by Deputy Governor of Alexandria Amira Salah; former Minister of Education, Professor of Computer Engineering, and Advisor to AASTMT President Yousry El-Gamal; and Advisor to AASTMT President on Informatics Ossama Ismail.

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