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Al-Ahram Weekly 23 - 29 September 1999 Issue No. 448 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 23 - 29 September 1999 Issue No. 448
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Comment Focus Special Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Capital investments
By Ibrahim Nafie
The centrality of advanced communications technology in today's world and the role the government must play in promoting a healthy local IT industry, together with improvements in education and in training the labour force are only some of the issues President Mubarak addressed in his speech to Egypt's first conference on information technology. The president's message was clear: Egypt has no alternative but to equip itself with advanced technology. That the president has created a Permanent Committee for Technological Development and will personally supervise its activities reflects the priority the government is according this field.
Egypt possesses a vast consumer market, a large and skilled labour force, relatively low production costs, the necessary scientific and technological base, not to mention an army of scientists. Egypt also has new industrial zones and the infrastructure necessary for new urban communities. Statistics reveal that Egypt has 400 companies operating in the field of information technology and that the growth rate of this industry in Egypt is 32 per cent a year -- the second highest in the world.
Nevertheless, there is much room for improvement in this fledgling industry. For Egypt to capitalise on its potential energies need to be focused on three vital areas.
The most pressing need is to establish a clear body of legislation protecting intellectual property rights. In the highly competitive industries related to information and communication technology such legislation cannot be fudged. A thorough revision of laws pertaining to patents and copyright will provide an important incentive for investment and production and the government has already taken a very positive step in this direction with the creation of a ministerial committee mandated to review all legislation effecting technological and micro-industries.
It is essential, too, to reorder our educational priorities and restructure our education system to enable us to contend more effectively with the pressures of globalisation. The global revolution in information technology imposes a new approach to education. Quantities of facts are useless without an awareness of the binding mechanisms and principles behind them. Rote learning is futile unless it is balanced with a development of the skills that foster original thinking and creativity. Fitting out schools with computers is absurd if students are not taught how to use them or if they are kept locked away for fear of damage. We must totally revise our approach to the use of technology in the classroom if we are to develop the human resources necessary to a thriving industry.
We must also minimise bureaucratic red tape and the outmoded management that prevails in many government sectors. Modern technological development and the ability to respond to the demands of the revolution in information technology demand an organisational structure flexible enough to respond quickly and effectively. Without ignoring the great progress the government has made over the past two decades in streamlining the bureaucracy, there is still considerable room for improvement in this domain.
Technological development casts its shadow over every aspect of life. It is easy to perceive the immediate effects of technology on industrial and agricultural production and on public services. Its profound impact on society, though, takes somewhat longer to manifest itself. One of the more tangible effects, as we have seen from the experiences of other societies that are further down the road in the communications revolution, is the increasing redundancy of unskilled labour. Simultaneously, new technologies generate new jobs. Through a flexible approach to education and intensive retraining programmes, these societies have been able to absorb their labour surpluses into the new positions made available by the new technologies. The transition to modern technology, therefore, entails a social cost, a cost for which we must be prepared. In order to cope with the inevitable, if temporary, unemployment that will arise, the government must institute training programmes capable of reassimilating surplus labour into the job market.
Egypt does not have the luxury of spending an inordinant amount of time pondering the pros and cons of taking on board modern communications technology. Quite to the contrary, we must develop a strategy for the immediate development of an industry that has shown itself to be the largest growth sector of our times.
Advanced technology also has an important bearing on our military industries. Modern armaments systems have become highly dependent upon advances in communications technology. A nation that possesses the civilian industries that enable it to upgrade its military industries is better poised to defend itself and deter the ambitions of others. Egypt has chosen to promote the cause of peace in the region but peace depends on the balance of powers as much as it does on developing a strong economy and dynamic society. In this light, the technological project inaugurated by President Mubarak is certain to enhance the potential for regional stability as much as it will pave the way for a better life for the Egyptian people.
It is important to remember, however, that technological development is an endeavor requiring the participation of all. If the government is expected to revamp legislation, create the necessary infrastructure and generate a demand for communications technology products, the private sector, along with the academic and scientific research centres have an important contribution to make in this comprehensive growth process. For example, the private sector, which accounts for some 65 per cent of GDP, must earmark a percentage of its profits for the research and development of advanced technology. The process of technological development requires commitment and persistence. The project initiated by President Mubarak represents a change in the patterns and way of life of Egyptian people. The fulfillment of the hopes this inspires remains the responsibility of all.
