After Active & Effective Participation in Geneva Summit :
Egypt on the International
Information Map

President Mubarak's participation in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) reflects the Egyptian awareness of the major role that information technology plays in comprehensive economic, social, political and cultural development.
In his speech, which was read out on his behalf by the Minister of Communications and the speech that he delivered before the first public session, President Mubarak emphasised the Egyptian pioneering role in mobilizing regional support to the international efforts that aim at establishing the modern information society.

President Mubarak highlighted the following facts:
* Egypt has achieved an advanced regional position in terms of Information and Communication Technology (ITC).
* Egypt has taken many national initiatives that target knowledge and expansion in information technology in order to improve education and health services.
* Egypt's Smart Village is a unique area, which houses technological activities and attracts investors to benefit from the new investment incentives.
* Egypt has developed an advanced information and communication industry, which serves as a basis to Arab and African IT industry.
* Egypt forged a successful partnership between the government, the private sector and the civil society in order to implement an array of pioneering initiatives that aim at providing free Internet services and personal computers "for every house" at reasonable prices, and establishing IT clubs all over the country.
* Egypt calls on the international community to establish equal partnership between developing and developed countries and to bridge the digital gap.
* Egypt believes firmly that the communication and information revolution should be an instrument to enhance justice, equality, democracy and human rights.
* Egypt has always played a pioneering role in mobilizing regional support to international efforts, which aim at enhancing the Arab information society that the Arab Summit approved in Amman in 2001. Egypt has adopted a similar move on the African level, where it has contributed to directing the African Electronic Commission.
* Egypt crowned all these efforts through her participation in preparing for Geneva Summit by hosting one of the preparatory conferences, where African countries were invited to participate.

Effective Participation in Preparing for the Summit
Over 18 months, Egypt has been effectively participating in the preparation for WSIS through joint delegations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Communications and Information.
Egypt has established the Egyptian Information Society (EIS), which is based on seven pivots and adopts a clear-cut strategy to set up a knowledge and information society in Egypt during the period 2004-2007.
The EIS has expressed aims of upgrading the enterprise sector efficiency in Egypt through developing the information networks and systems, and linking the financial institutions together. It also focuses on the future of the electronic economic transactions through enacting due laws including drafting the application of the E-law, which the Egyptian People's Assembly is expected to pass during its current session.

The initiative, also, visualizes the application of the E-government in Egypt. This aims at facilitating and providing the services currently introduced by the government to the Egyptian citizens. Thus, Egypt streamlines the daily dealings with the governmental entities and increases the efficiency of the governmental services. In this vein, Egypt has drawn up an ambitious plan to implement the E-government, starting with reengineering and organizing many government services as a concrete step towards automating and linking them to the Internet.

The message, which Egypt conveyed to WSIS, emphasises the regional development that has been motivated by President Mubarak's deep awareness of the important influence that the information revolution has on the African and Arab countries.
In recent years, Egypt has made numerous contributions to achieving IT and communication development and growth locally and regionally. President Mubarak's participation in WSIS also reflects the central importance of this event, which is considered a unique opportunity for sharing other heads of states in developing a joint statement and work plan to bridge the digital and information gaps.
Egypt calls, particularly, to use the ICT to increase the tempo of growth, encourage rational management, improve social and health services, alleviate poverty, enhance women's role, secure equal opportunities, develop human resources and activate the private sector in the whole region.

Ambassador Naela Gabr, head of the Egyptian delegation at United Nations headquarter in Geneva, says that President Mubarak's wise decision to take part in WSIS was motivated by three important factors, which represent and cope with Egypt's international strategy that includes
* Egypt's commitment to support any activity adopted by the United Nations within multilateral framework and equality of votes.
* Paying Switzerland due courtesy as the only neutral country and supporting its role to host the WSIS.
* Firm belief that the communication and information sector is highly promising and that investment promotion efforts have to be made in all domains in a way that serves progress and development in Egypt.
Following Mubrak's Invitation Africa Telecom in Cairo

 The invitation that President Mubarak extended to the entire world during WSIS to participate in Africa Telecom-2004 conference, which Egypt hosts next May, is an obvious reflection of the Egyptian continued efforts to support the economic development in the region through making the best use of all means of ICT and exchanging relevant experiences and expertise.
The International Communications Association (ICA) officials said that Africa had a considerable investment opportunities, which could be useful in this regard, citing mobile phone, satellite communications and pre-paid cards.
The African governments and industrialists will take part in this great event to enhance the agreements which will be concluded therein. The conference will attract industrially experienced people to probe new ideas on the future of industry on local and regional levels.

E-Message to the World to Participate in Africa-Telecom 2004 in Cairo

In recognition of the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) on all aspects of life - economic, cultural, and political - and reiterating the vital role of ICT in fostering dialogue among individuals, communities and peoples, and acknowledging the vital role of the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies, including the International Telecommunication Union, in sustainable development and in achieving the developmental goals of the United Nations Millennium Summit held in 2002.

And reaffirming the fact that Information and Communication Technology has become one of the pillars for the sustainable development, and reiterating the importance of such technology for the implementation of the New partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and for bridging the digital gap particularly in the African continent, and recalling the agreement reached between the government of Egypt and the ITU to host ITU's sixth international telecommunication exhibition and forum devoted for the African region (Telecom Africa) in Cairo in 2004.

Hereby Invite, via this E-message, governments, business sector, NGOs and the international community at large to support African development through their active participation in ITU "Telecom Africa 2004" to be held in Cairo next May. December 9th , 2003