The Egyptian technology sector is still the focus of attention of international institutions, consulting companies, industry experts, and international companies in the field of technology services outsourcing. The sector is praised as a natural result of efforts exerted over the past years to maintain growth rates and create a system for maintaining foreign investments and attracting more.
According to a recent report by Pulse magazine, issued by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP), Egypt should work on infrastructure development, improving communications systems, upgrading the skills of people working in this sector through multiple programmes, and training in advanced technologies such as data science, large data analysis, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.
The report, entitled “Egypt is changing the world’s perception about the country, from being the home of history toward a nation with competitive edge”, stated that some 170,000 employees are working in the Egyptian outsourcing sector, offering services to 100 countries in 20 languages.
The report quoted a new Gallup poll as saying that Egypt has been ranked as the safest country in Africa and higher than both the UK and the US, making it a safe destination that is optimised to embrace technology investments and provide outsourcing services to the world.
In a related context, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) reached an agreement with six global companies working in the field of information technology and outsourcing call centres to expand their business by injecting new investments into the Egyptian market and creating more than 3,700 jobs for Egyptians.
Maha Rashad, acting chief executive officer of ITIDA, said that it was agreed with the international companies to announce their investments in Egypt through joint data in the international media, in the framework of promoting the Egyptian ICT sector, which will contribute to improving the mental image of Egypt and attract more investments.
She added that this comes within the framework of efforts exerted by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology through ITIDA to attract more foreign direct investments to Egypt and increase Egyptian exports to this vital sector.
She pointed out that the increasing demand by international companies reflects confidence in the potential of the Egyptian market, which is characterised by the abundance of young and specialised cadres, as confirmed by all international reports recently issued in this field, indicating the strong return of Egypt as one of the best outsourcing destinations in the world.
For his part, Peter Rayan, chief executive officer of Raya Investments in Outsourcing, said that Egypt is one of the top three destinations in outsourcing, given the attractiveness of the value Egypt offers in the sector.
He added that following some difficult years after 2011’s popular uprising, Egypt’s outsourcing value proposition is more relevant than ever. “Its government has prioritised attracting new BPO investment, touting the country’s skilled labour force, incentives, and focus on quality. It should be noted that despite having slowed following the revolution several years ago, Egypt’s front-office outsourcing sector never shrank, a testament to the value that its investors place in that location. Egyptian BPO 2.0 is a reality,” Rayan stated.
Egypt was ranked first in the Middle East and Africa in the Global Outsourcing Index 2017 issued in September by AT Kearney.
Moreover, Gartner Foundation placed Egypt at the top spots of its lists for best outsourcing destinations in 2016 and 2017, noting that Egypt is one of the best outsourcing and cross-border IT services destinations.
