The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat has witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation with Microsoft Egypt in launching and implementing a number of initiatives for building youth’s capacities, promoting technological innovation and entrepreneurship, and incubating startups specializing in IT.

Signing the cooperation protocols is within the framework of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) keenness to build competencies in various fields of technology and to create an enabling environment for technological innovation.

The first MoU aims to establish cooperation between MCIT and Microsoft Egypt in launching the national capacity building program "Tamayoz" to create specialists in the technology fields needed to carry out Digital Egypt projects.

The three-year MoU focuses on cooperation in implementing "be expert online" initiative to provide multi-level professional training for about 10,000 IT specialists in Egypt, annually, as well as cooperation in implementing “Tawar w Ghayar” initiative to include digital, employment and programming skills, with the aim to upskill 200,000 young people every year. This is in addition to launching the Global Skills Initiative to equip youth with the skills needed for the 10 most in-demand jobs around the world, targeting 10,000 trainees in 2021.

The MoU also provides for cooperating with the Information Technology Institute (ITI) in implementing Entaleq-Freelancer Pathway initiative, targeting training 1,200 freelance software developers in Egypt, on annual basis.

Within the framework of “be expert on line for training of trainers initiative, the two sides will cooperate to build the capacity of 3,000 trainees, every three months, including IT specialists in different governorates. In addition, the two sides will cooperate in implementing the Global Skills Initiative through training 500 IT staff in government agencies on advanced technologies, and organizing workshops for 100 government executives through Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) School.

The MoU was signed by the Deputy ICT Minister for Infrastructure Raafat Hindy, and Microsoft Egypt General Manager Mirna Arif.

The second MoU was signed by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and Microsoft Egypt, with the aim to enhance cooperation in incubating startups, promoting technological innovation, and supporting and training entrepreneurs through the company’s flagship program Microsoft for Startups.

Through the MoU, Microsoft and ITIDA- Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC) will cooperate in four areas, including supporting 100 startups and helping maintain their sustainable growth through providing them with Microsoft Azure cloud services, at an estimated value of $3 million. This is in addition to providing startups with technical support and empowerment, technical consultation, communication opportunities with Microsoft experts, assistance in reaching clients, training on market penetration strategies, and assistance in landing investors.

The two sides will also cooperate to train 500 entrepreneurs from different governorates, in technology specializations, and introduce them to startup growth best practices and market penetration strategies.

Relevantly, Microsoft will collaborate with ITIDA to enrich the content in EgyptInnovate platform, and to create a space for startups and training, under the name Microsoft Space, at Creativa Innovation Hub in Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace, where the SkillsLab program will be implemented, providing digital skills and international certification hands-on training.

ITIDA Vice President and TIEC Chairperson Hossam Osman, and Arif signed the MoU.

During the signing ceremony, the ICT Minister underlined that the MoUs open new avenues for cooperation with Microsoft Egypt, which reflects MCIT keenness to establish partnerships with specialized international companies to develop the IT industry in Egypt. The MoUs will also help strengthen MCIT efforts to create a digital skill pool, equip young people with the necessary skills to keep pace with global technological advances, and enable them to contribute to the development of the different state sectors through adopting technology to accelerate digital transformation and build Digital Egypt.

Talaat added that the areas of cooperation include implementing initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among young people nationwide, in a way that helps them find non-traditional jobs in the local and global labor markets, in advanced IT areas. This is in addition to supporting creative thinking among youth to develop innovative technological solutions to the challenges facing the Egyptian society. The cooperation also involves carrying out an initiative to incubate IT startups, which is a matter of great interest to MCIT, and one of the pillars of boosting the national economy.

For her part, Arif stated that Microsoft is proud to cooperate with MCIT, and always seeks to upskill young people and develop human competencies to build Digital Egypt, in a way that helps transform Egypt into a regional ICT hub.

The past period, Arif said, has proven that digital transformation is not just an asset for enhancing competitiveness, but has become a key factor in business continuity and operational flexibility. She added that Microsoft contributes to building digital capabilities and enhancing employability to empower Egyptians to harness the power of technology in entirely new ways and transform the country into a real and inclusive digital society.

Furthermore, Arif highlighted that Microsoft cooperates closely with government and industry leaders to promote technological innovation and significantly contribute to achieving progress through infrastructure, job creation, education, skills, youth empowerment, capacity building and job creation, along with its philanthropic initiatives, to make a difference in society.

Arif added that Microsoft's partnership with the Egyptian government within Tamayoz program comes in the company’s commitment to promote the use of technology among institutions in Egypt, and to provide hope and opportunity for every Egyptian citizen through technological innovation. The company's mission is to empower every organization and individual to achieve more, Arif stated, underlining her company’s eagerness to harness the power of technology and Microsoft diverse solutions to create a brighter future for Egypt.