(AFP photo)
IBM Egypt is currently in negotiations with the Egyptian government to undertake its “smart meters” project, while at the same time seeking to expand its activity in delivering data services after the recent increase in demand.
IBM Egypt Manager Amr Talaat said, “The company intends to expand its activity in the domestic market through… taking advantage of Egypt’s geographical position qualifying it to lead Africa and the Arabian Region.”
He highlighted that while the political situation had affected IT activities, it had not hurt the company’s investments. “IBM will remain in Egypt, especially after opening two new centers,” he added.
“Some African countries are seeking cooperation with Egypt in [the field of smart meters], including Tanzania and Nigeria,” Talaat said. “These countries are seeking experience in domestic markets, and the Egyptian labour is cheaper compared to European counterparts.” He stressed that Egypt can export this experiences to Africa rather than keeping them “disregarded” in Egypt.
“IBM intends to infuse new investments through three main pathways,” he said. “The first is to have IBM be an active player in the Egyptian market, contributing to the IT field through presenting the latest inventions to clients. Second the company will train more cadres using the latest training tools, including mobile applications competitions,” said Talaat.
The third pathway, he explained, would be social responsibility. Investment would come through contacting civil society and other institutions, offering lectures and supporting creativity in universities.
Talaat said his company was currently attempting to receive government approvals for the smart meters project and to implement a project assessing which population groups qualify for subsidies based on each family’s fixed and actual incomes.
