The Open Source Strategy Committee reviewed, today, during its meeting at MCIT premises, the most outstanding features of its strategic plan still being under development.
The committee aims to integrate and use the open source software-based applications as a national strategy for Egypt.
This approach is to take place through a smooth shift from the use of closed source software which most government agencies and bodies rely on, in order to attain the technological independence, and to develop the open source software industry as well.
The meeting also tackled the most important regulatory and technical frameworks, the general outline, the initial visions and the main foundations of the action plan to implement this strategy during the coming period.
A number of civil associations such as Egypt Open Source Association and a group of ICT companies working in Egypt have attended the meeting.
Discussions also highlighted the importance of establishing the main principles for the information accessibility, and enabling the technology resettlement in the Egyptian society instead of importing it, and guaranteeing the security and continuity of such a kind of software.
This is meant to go in line with pursuing the gradual transition towards the open source applications, and heading with the same approach, as a priority, to the governmental sector and education.
Furthermore, some of the participants asked to join the Committee teamwork to present their opinions and key suggestions.
The committee is to pursue its work for one year so as to finalize the assigned tasks and follow up on the implementation process.
All attendees have stressed on the importance of providing the required information regarding the open source software to the public opinion, raising it as a public issue, to be a subject to discussion and acknowledgment in parallel with indicating its importance for the national economy.
Moreover, the participants have recommended developing the local demand on the open source software during the coming period in addition to adopting particular government policies to apply using the open source software.
These recommendations lead to the activation of Egypt’ role as a regional power marked by its richness of human resources and calibers that qualify Egypt to occupy its proper position as the main gate of the Arab and African countries in this domain.
The Open Source Strategy Committee is formed by the official decree issued by the former minister of ICT with the aim of developing a new strategy to make use of the open source software-based applications as a national strategy for Egypt during the period to come.
This is to go in line with the usage of the closed source software and adopting a policy of gradual shift towards open source software in accordance with the proposed strategy. This needs a special focus on creating an integrated system to develop the open source software industry in Egypt while shifting gradually towards the new software effectively.
