Ebeid highlights IT development plans

"Information technology (IT) is the backbone of Egypt's future development plans and the government is opening the door to all investors regardless of nationality," Prime Minister Atef Ebeid asserted yesterday.

"There is a fierce global competition to hop on the technology bandwagon, and it is not an easy task for Egypt to keep up with the rapid pace of scientific developments," he told the opening session of an international conference on electronics and development. He added that 20 databases contain all information relevant to the country's various sectors.

Digital technology is a challenge that faces Egypt's business sector while simultaneously spurring its development, Ahmed Nazif, Minister of Communication and IT, said after the conference.

He urged the optimum utilization of digital technology. Nazif said his ministry added 850,000 telephone lines to the country's network last year, while cellular service users have increased to 2.5 million. The government also decreased monthly ISP fees to LE 30, which allowed Internet use to increase.