1 - Towards a Digital Society and Knowledge-based Economy
The ICT revolution has extended the reach of the
sector far beyond facilitating communication,
to the extent that sustainable development in
all fields now largely relies on the use of ICTs.
Egypt’s 25 January Revolution, which in early
2011 set the country on the path of political
transformation, was itself largely influenced by
the use of ICTs, in particular social networks.
Aside from the major changes this revolution
ushered in for Egypt, it has also changed the
way Egyptians perceive ICT tools and systems,
which have created an important platform for
them to express their opinions, participate in
public affairs and join together to find solutions
to issues of common concern.
Since the revolution, not only has there been
considerable growth in the number of Egyptians
using the internet, but significant changes
in the way the internet is used, with one of
the more notable shifts being the increase in
young people engaging with political rather
than entertainment-related content.
In this context, three main features of the
internet are clear: its interactive nature; the
absence of a central organizational authority,
making content online more difficult to control
and monitor than traditional media content;
and the broad social base of users, which is not
limited by geographic or political boundaries.
As a result, those using the internet are not mere
recipients of content but active participants in
its formation. This has brought about a change
in the very nature of communication: ordinary
members of society are now able to respond
and interact. Indeed, online dialogue is often
peer-to-peer in nature, reflecting less the social
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position or political affiliation of interlocutors than
their opinions on certain topics. Some argue
that the influence of the internet within society
and the prevalence of networking have brought
about a shift from hierarchical state to networking
community.
MCIT seeks to embrace this shift, and to empower
all Egyptians to play a full and active role as digital
citizens in the development of their community
and society.
1.1 The ICT Sector: Past and Present
The amazing development in ICT usage in Egypt
would not have occurred without the technical
and institutional boom set in motion by the
government since 2000. The newly established
Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology set out to establish a vibrant and
open ICT sector, to ensure wide access to fast
internet through a solid infrastructure capable
of attracting investment and supporting the
development of both the sector and the
wider economy, and to promote the training
necessary to enable citizens to adapt ICT tools
and systems to serve the community and boost
the economic performance of the state.
In 2000, MCIT initiated a National ICT Plan to
ensure the spread and effective use of ICT
among both individuals and businesses, and
to establish legislative and regulatory rules
to guarantee an open market for ICT services.
As part of this process, MCIT identified best
practices, critical success factors and potential
challenges, allowing it to amend ICT policies
and restructure the sector in response to
real-time needs.