Eng. Rafat Hindi: Cooperation with the Chamber in expanding the base of beneficiaries of training initiatives and qualifying young people
Eng. Rafat Hindi, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, held a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Information and Communication Technology Industry under the chairmanship of Eng. Khaled Ibrahim, Chairman of the Chamber, and in the presence of Eng. Ahmed Al-Zaher, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Authority (ITIDA), to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation and support start-ups and small and medium-sized companies from the Chamber's members during the next phase, in addition to cooperation in organizing specialized training programs for these companies.
The meeting discussed the future visions of the development of the digital industry and increasing its competitiveness at the regional and international levels, and cooperation in attracting international companies to invest in the establishment of data centers in Egypt.
The meeting also discussed the arrangements for conferences and events that the Chamber of Information and Communication Technology Industry intends to organize during the coming period to support start-ups and enhance their growth opportunities and expansion in local and international markets.
Eng. Rafat Hindi, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, stressed the Ministry's keenness to enhance cooperation and integration with the Chamber of ICT Industry as a strategic partner in the development of start-ups and small and medium-sized companies, and create a supportive climate for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
Eng. Rafat Hindi added that the ministry puts at the forefront of its priorities to enable Egyptian start-ups and small companies to expand and increase the volume of their digital exports, explaining that investing in digital capacity building and skills development represents the main pillar of the growth of the ICT sector. He pointed out that the ministry will intensify its cooperation with the Chamber during the coming period to expand the base of beneficiaries of training initiatives and digital capacity building programs, which contributes to qualifying young people for the requirements of the modern labor market in the fields of communications and information technology, including artificial intelligence, data analysis, and cybersecurity.
He explained that the ministry aims to train about 800,000 trainees during the current year in various disciplines of communications and information technology, pointing to the expansion of specialized training programs in the fields of advanced technology, in addition to expanding the programs of specialized academies that are implemented in cooperation between the two training institutes of the Ministry and international companies, with the aim of preparing qualified digital cadres that meet the needs of local and international companies and institutions.
For his part, Eng. Khaled Ibrahim, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Information and Communication Technology Industry, expressed his aspiration to strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology during the next phase, stressing the Chamber's pride in the existing strategic partnership with the ministry in supporting the digital economy and enhancing Egypt's position as a regional center for technology.
He explained that the Chamber currently includes about 25,000 members, including 4,000 companies operating in the communications and information technology sector, while the rest of the companies are active in fields related to technology and digital transformation; pointing to the cooperation between the Chamber and the Information Technology Industry Development Authority in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, as empowering this category of companies is not just economic support, but an investment in the future of Egyptian innovation, in addition to cooperation in promoting and supporting the participation of small companies in international exhibitions to open new markets for the marketing of their products and doubling their technological exports in addition to the development and development of digital skills and capacity building through organizing specialized programs to train human cadres Technology companies on the latest technology according to their needs and the requirements of the local and global labor market, including focusing on graduation projects and training, employment and self-employment programs, in addition to supporting 80 companies to obtain international quality certificates such as CMMI and ISO.
He explained that these joint efforts contributed to providing support for about 125 companies, and signing 51 strategic partnerships through prominent international participations such as the GITEX Global Exhibition and Conference and the LEAP Conference, as well as the launch of specialized programs such as the Export Support Program for Companies Operating in the ICT Sector Export IT Sector, and the Digital Transformation Initiative for IT Companies DX4IT, in addition to incubating 15 startups, and supporting the dissemination of innovative industrial solutions through initiatives such as "Start", "Manutech", and "Egypt Makes Electronics".
The meeting was attended by Eng. Mahmoud Safrata, Executive Vice President of ITIDA for the Development of Information Technology Markets. On the part of the Chamber of Information and Communication Technology Industry, Eng. Mohamed Al-Haddad, Eng. Saif Badawi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Eng. Ibrahim Al-Sherbini, General Manager of the Chamber, and Ms. Rehab Lotfy, Director of Business Development at the Chamber, in addition to members of the Chamber's Board of Directors and members of the Bureau.