Egypt ranks highest in Networked Readiness Index among North African countries ranking 63rd over a total of 127 countries, according to the last edition of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Information Technology Report (2007/2008).
The report attributes Egypt’s unprecedented leap to its progress on the index’s main and subsidiary elements.
The index constitutes three key elements and 68 other subsidiary ones that are determined by global institutions like the World Bank and International Telecommunication Union in addition to a survey conducted over 11,000 leading business corporates.
With respect to key indicators, Egypt progressed in the environment component to rank 60 in 2008/2007 up from 74 in 2007/2006. According to the new report, with regards to the digital preparation, the country jumped from rank 82 to 70.
Concerning subsidiary indicators, Egypt ranked first among 127 countries in per/capita cost of mobile phone calls while it ranked 22 in telephone commercial contracting expenses up from rank 101 in last year’s report.
Egyptian government’s keenness on promoting information and communications technology (ICT) as one of its priority areas became evident through its 57th rank in this indicator marking a progress of 22 ranks against last year’s report.
On the level of domestic usage of IT services and computers, Egypt ranked 83rd in respect to personal ownership of computers for every 100 individual.
Notable advancement is witnessed in the government’s improvement in quality service and interaction with private sector companies and civil society institutions.
The report that showed Egypt’s advancement over a number of countries like Russia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Argentine, Morocco, Philippines and Ukraine mainly intends to support policy makers in various countries in realizing how different factors interact to affect the growth of IT sectors.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is held under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Government.
