Latest news with #CommunicationsandInformationTechnology
Egypt Independent
6 hours ago
- Business
- Egypt Independent
PM: Global companies have confidence in Egypt's investment climate
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly affirmed that the inauguration of Jumia's logistics warehouse in Egypt reflects the confidence of major global companies in the country's investment climate. Madbouly said such a step also highlights the trust in the government's efforts to provide an investment-attracting climate for various projects and businesses across different sectors. The premier expressed his hope for further partnerships that would support the state's goals on digital transformation, developing the logistics infrastructure, and providing job opportunities for youth, especially in the fields of digital economy and e-commerce. Madbouly's remarks came Saturday 28/6/2025 during the opening ceremony of Jumia's warehouse, which is one of the largest logistics warehouses for e-commerce in Egypt with the latest technologies. He was accompanied by Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Governor of Cairo Ibrahim Saber and CEO of Jumia Egypt Abdel Latif Olama. For his part, the minister of communications emphasized the ICT ministry's commitment to expanding training programs in various telecommunications and information technology fields to meet the needs of companies for qualified personnel. These programs cover diverse areas such as call centers, business process outsourcing, software development, digital services, IT project management, as well as more advanced services in e-commerce field, according to him. The minister also highlighted efforts to encourage entrepreneurs and startups to take advantage of digital platforms, contributing to realizing the goals of Egypt's Vision 2030 in the fields of digital transformation and sustainable development. He noted that the software for Jumia platform was designed and implemented in Egypt by skilled and trained Egyptian professionals. For his part, the CEO of Jumia Egypt emphasized that the company believes the digital economy represents the future of growth in Egypt, stressing that collaboration with the Egyptian government strengthens the country's digital transformation efforts and supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to expand locally and internationally. The prime minister and his accompanying officials were briefed about the activities of Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Africa, as the inauguration of this integrated warehouse in Egypt reflects the corporation's strong commitment to investing in the Egyptian market.
Muscat Daily
4 days ago
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Major road upgrades underway in Dhofar for khareef 2025
Salalah – In preparation for khareef 2025, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology is accelerating implementation of strategic road development projects across Dhofar to support tourism, economic growth and public mobility. The ministry confirmed that major upgrades and maintenance works are in progress throughout the governorate, aimed at enhancing road connectivity and traffic flow. Among the flagship projects is the Attin Tunnel in Salalah, which has reached 93% completion – well ahead of schedule. The tunnel is expected to significantly ease congestion during peak tourist months. Work is also advancing on dualisation of key roads in Salalah. Sultan Taimur Street (6.8km) is 40% complete, while 45% of work on Al Farouq Street (7.6km) has been finalised. In Mughsail, 20% of work has been completed on a new road project that includes a 12m-high bridge, pedestrian paths, lighting and an underpass connecting tourist sites. The 33km Raysut-Mughsail Road is also being dualised, with six interchanges and a 5.5km extension to 18th November Road. The Al Shuwaimiya Ascent Improvement Project in Shalim and Hallaniyat Islands has been awarded. The 2.5km stretch includes new drainage systems, safety barriers and road signage. According to Said bin Mohammed Tabuk, Director General of Road and Land Transport in Dhofar, the third, fourth and fifth phases of Sultan Said bin Taimur Road dualisation – spanning 400km – has commenced. The total investment in the project exceeds RO258mn.
Muscat Daily
7 days ago
- Business
- Muscat Daily
MTCIT invites EOI to develop office software locally in Oman
By OUR CORRESPONDENT Muscat – In an effort to enhance digital sovereignty and support technology localisation, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) has invited expressions of interest (EOI) from local companies and investors to develop open-source office software. The ministry's Internal Investment Committee has called on Omani firms with expertise in software development to propose solutions for word processing, presentations and spreadsheets based on open-source platforms. The aim is to deploy these applications across government and institutional settings, meeting standard office software requirements. MTCIT said the government plans to sign a licensing agreement with the selected developer for a fixed term, as part of wider national efforts to build local technological capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign proprietary systems. Interested firms must submit a formal letter expressing their interest, along with a preliminary operational model of the proposed solution, company profile, commercial registration and valid business licence. A preliminary economic feasibility study and documents demonstrating experience and technical capability are also required. All submissions must be in PDF format and emailed to [email protected]. Submission deadline is July 20.
Muscat Daily
21-06-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Oman targets bigger AI role in economy with new initiatives
Muscat – Oman is taking steps to increase the contribution of the artificial intelligence (AI) sector to its national economy by expanding the number of specialised start-ups and boosting research and investment in the field. Hassan bin Fida Hussain al Lawati, Head of National Programme for AI and Advanced Digital Technologies at Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), said the programme benefits economic, development and service sectors, directly impacting citizens' quality of life. He said the programme aims to increase the number of technology companies specialising in AI by 20% each year. The number of such companies now exceeds 25, up from fewer than ten at the programme's launch last year. Cumulative investments in AI projects have reached about RO60mn over the last four years, with annual investment expected to grow by 20%. Hassan bin Fida Hussain al Lawati In September 2024, the Council of Ministers approved the National Programme for AI and Advanced Digital Technologies as part of a broader strategy built on three pillars, the first of which is promoting AI adoption in economic and development sectors. The second focuses on localising AI technologies and developing national expertise to position Oman as a technology producer. The third pillar governs AI and digital applications with a human-centred approach to ensure ethical and effective use under flexible laws. Lawati noted that Oman moved up five places in the Oxford Insight Government AI Readiness Index, ranking 45th globally out of 193 countries in 2024, compared to 50th in 2023. It ranks fifth in the Middle East and North Africa and fourth in the Gulf. Oman aims to join the world's top 30 countries in this field, he added. He further informed that MTCIT, in partnership with University of Technology and Applied Sciences, launched an initiative called AI Makers to encourage work in the field and reward top researchers, scientific papers and projects in AI. MTCIT also introduced a competition called 'Engineer it with AI' to support local development in generative AI, enhance national skills and encourage innovation. The contest aims to boost economic returns by helping new start-ups and raising national performance indicators. In addition, an initiative called Humanising AI has been launched to maintain a balance between technical progress and the human aspect of service delivery, ensuring inclusivity for all groups in society.
Egypt Independent
21-06-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Egypt, Italy mull ways to boost AI cooperation
Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat discussed with Italy's Minister of Enterprises, Adolfo Urso, ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). They held a meeting in the Italian capital, Rome, in the presence of Bassam Rady, Egypt's Ambassador to Italy, to review key developments in AI applications in both Egypt and Italy. They also followed up on discussions initiated during Urso's visit to Egypt in April 2024, which aimed to lay the foundations for constructive collaboration between the two countries in various aspects of AI and its infrastructure. During the meeting, Talaat explained the main aspects and objectives of the second edition of Egypt's national AI strategy, noting that it focuses on building digital capacities, AI governance, fostering innovation, research and development, and enhancing international cooperation in this field. For his part, Urso highlighted Italy's efforts to support startups working in the AI sector. He also outlined the features of an initiative launched by Italy during its 2024 presidency of the G7, which involves the establishment of an 'AI center for Sustainable Development'. This initiative aims to support the use of AI in advancing development efforts across the African continent. Urso expressed keenness to strengthen bilateral cooperation in AI, as well as to collaborate on a regional level to implement and achieve the goals of this initiative. He also thanked the Egyptian Ministry of Communications for nominating a representative to serve on the center's executive committee. This meeting is part of Talaat's visit to Italy, in response to an invitation from Urso. During the visit, several meetings were held with officials from Italian companies and institutions to boost cooperation and attract more investment into Egypt's communications and IT sector.
