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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 June - 5 July 2000 Issue No. 488 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 June - 5 July 2000 Issue No. 488
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Welcome to e-gypt
By Aziza Sami
When President Mubarak visited the United States in May, the drive to promote Egypt as a regional IT hub gained significant momentum. The president's visit to Silicon Valley companies aimed at soliciting investments in the sector, which, if raised to $500 million, would help Egypt meet domestic demand as well as export IT products and services.
The idea that Egypt can become an exporter of IT -- as India and Israel have done -- is not just a slogan. It is supported by the country's geographic location and human resources, which have already made it a virtual exporter of software experts to leading multinational IT companies. Furthermore, the issue gains urgency as e-commerce and e-business become synonymous with the global economy, where companies are created, financial transactions and scientific research conducted via the Internet.
And while Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology Ahmed Nazif possesses the all-important ability to devise plans and conduct teamwork, it is necessary to ask whether the legal, administrative and educational frameworks are helping him and the government realise their goals.
To date, there is no law regulating e-commerce, a requisite for conducting transactions via the Internet. Nor is parliament scheduled to discuss such a law, which is vital for money transfers and for ensuring that taxes on e-transactions are compatible with existing tax laws.
While promoting IT is primarily a private initiative, the government must promote it by increasing public awareness of its importance. When Nazif took office, he stressed the need for a national health care network connecting hospitals and clinics via wireless technology. The task of persuading hospitals to hook up, however, has been left to the private sector, which has met with the response normally accorded to dubious salesmen, rather than enthusiasm at the importance of this new technology.
The policies announced are also superseding actual capabilities in some instances. For instance, the financial sector has declared its readiness to adopt e-transactions. But four months ago, Banque Misr announced that it would halt all transactions via phone, mail orders and the Internet because some of its clients' accounts had been penetrated.
The Internet -- basically a free commodity -- is a luxury in Egypt; but apart from announcements that it will "improve the service," the government has not said how it intends to upgrade national telecommunications. Although increasing PC use in schools is another government goal, how many schoolchildren have access to a computer, or know how to handle one? Some of our best schools are teaching children computer technology in theory, which is only applied in the final year of school.
Is our educational system geared towards producing a computer-literate generation that can understand the Internet revolution? Are institutes preparing technicians whose training will make them instrumental in the invention process?
When the government said it would create a "technology valley," the press announced that Nobel laureate Ahmed Zuweil would be the government's adviser on the project. No mention was made of other scientists, national research institutions, or actual plans for implementation. The excessive reliance on one man's genius seemed to defeat the very purpose of the project, which by definition is based on team work. Are we truly ready to uphold collective endeavours, which today are key to corporate and scientific success?
In 18 months, Dubai -- small in size and resources if compared to Egypt -- will become an e-government. Its crown prince, Sheikh Mohamed Al-Rashed, has been dubbed "e-Mohamed," an epithet he has accepted in recognition of his country's readiness to take on the new economy. This has come about because of sufficient preparation, good administration, flexible legislation, and successful trade promotion.
Egypt's IT potential is more substantial than Dubai's. But political will must be supported by a feasible plan, executed by a team well versed in the developments of the new economy and the demands imposed by the IT revolution.
