The Egyptian government is relying on cooperation to achieve its digital transformation goals. For example, an agreement was signed in September to strengthen Chinese investments in the national ICT sector.
Egypt is exploring opportunities to deepen its cooperation with the World Bank in the digital sector. Amr Talaat, the Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, met with Sangboo Kim, Vice President for Digital Development at the World Bank, who visited the country from Tuesday, December 17, to Thursday, December 19.
Discussions focused on digital transformation, the development of technological infrastructure, raising digital awareness, and enhancing digital skills. Mr. Kim emphasized the importance of sharing Egypt’s digital transformation experience with other nations and leveraging the country’s expertise to help others achieve their digital goals.
This engagement aligns with Egypt’s efforts to accelerate the implementation of its national digital transformation strategy, Digital Egypt 2030. The Egyptian government is aiming to develop the ICT sector and modernize national telecom infrastructure, positioning the digital economy as a driver of socio-economic development.
Currently, Egypt ranks sixth in Africa and 95th globally on the 2024 E-Government Development Index (EGDI), according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The country scored 0.6699 out of 1, surpassing the averages for North Africa (0.5776), Africa (0.4247), and the world (0.6382). In ICT development, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) places Egypt ninth among 47 African countries, with a score of 76.8 out of 100.
While a partnership with the World Bank could support Egypt’s digital transformation objectives, the details of such collaboration remain undefined. As of now, no agreements have been signed or announced between the two parties. Further developments will be needed before drawing conclusions about the prospects of this cooperation.
By Isaac K. Kassouwi,
Editing bySèna D. B. de Sodji
