Update January 2000: Egypt

During the last few months, the government has taken serious steps towards supporting and promoting the use of telecommunications and information technology fields. In the last ministerial change that took place in October 1999 it was decided that two ministries focus on the promotion and development of information technology plans in the country.

More specifically, the ministry of Information and Telecommunications headed by Dr. Eng. Ahmed Nazif, has undertaken the planning and implementation of major projects in the fields of information technology and telecommunications. Towards this end, four working groups have been set up earlier in December, aimed to work on the relevant legislation, telecommunications infrastructure, the development and promotion of new telecommunications services, and the human resource development.

In addition, the ministry of Industry and Technological Development has undertaken the development and implementation of industry projects using state-of-the-art technologies to maximize profits and improve quality of production.

In addition to the two ministries, a presidential committee chaired by the President Hosni Mubarak himself along with key ministers and heads of key organizations, such as the minister of industry, the minister of telecommunications and information, the minister of communications and media, the chairman of the IDSC, the chairman of CAPMAS, etc. was established in September 1999. This committee aims at monitoring the development of major information technology projects in Egypt and at setting up the plans and strategies for the coming period regarding major technological projects. Overall, the underlying objective is to facilitate the transfer of Egypt into an information-based society in the new millennium.

A number of key organizations are involved in the promotion and realization of the information society of Egypt. The most important of these organizations being:

• The Egyptian Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) : This is a state-owned organization established to develop information technology applications and tools and apply them in various industry sectors. IDSC is in fact currently involved in IS projects (see "Estimate" report).
  
• The Regional Information Technology and Software Engineering enter (RITSEC) : This was established in January 1992 as a joint project between the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD); and is hosted by the Government of Egypt-the Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). RITSEC provides technical, professional and developmental services to the agencies, institutions and governmental organizations in the Arab Region.
  
• Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) : In September 1964, the Presidential Decree No. 2915 was issued for the creation of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization And Statistics (CAPMAS), which has become the largest statistical organization in the Middle East . CAPMAS has the responsibility for producing and disseminating statistical data at both national and regional levels for the process of planning and decision making .
  
• State Information Service (SIS) : This is the public information tool of the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt. SIS was established in 1954 under the name of Information Department (ID) aimed at contributing to political socialization, and to build a world-wide image of the newly-founded Republic following the 1952 Revolution. The SIS contributes in the planning and implementation of public information campaigns to back-up the political and economic decision-making process. It also maintains contact with world mass media through its 42 Foreign Press and Information Offices and its Cairo-based Foreign Correspondence Department, better known as " Cairo International Press Center ". The latest landmark of SIS is the creation of a web-site for Egypt on the Internet, joining the Super Information Highway to back-up the fulfillment of its mandate with State-of-the-art language and technology. SIS is, thus a major public multi-media production house. Print, audio/video and cyber-material are available to anyone interested.