Egypt’s ICT Minister Honors 15 winners of ‘Tamkeen’ Competition

Minister of Communications, Yasser ElKady has honored 15 winning companies at the third round of “Tamkeen” Competition. The competition aims to develop software and mobile phones applications for People with Disabilities (PwDs) as well as supporting technological innovation and creation.

The ceremony also witnessed the launch of the fourth edition of the competition to support 50 new technologies. In this context, ElKady said that MCIT has allocated 6.5 million Egyptian pounds to support this edition, underlining MCIT continued support for this program due to its significant return to equity in development.

On the other hand, the ICT Minister stated that the Ministry is seeking to implant technology in all parts of Egypt and make it available to all segments of society. He also announced that the new technology parks are committed to employ 5% of PwDS.

35 new assistive technologies have been developed under the support and funding of Tamkeen Competition during its three editions. The ICT Minister’s Advisor for Social Responsibility and Services Abeer Shakweer stated that the program aims to reach 300 new technologies by 2019.

MCIT, through the competition, seeks to create a new information market to serve more than 15 million Egyptians, 55 million of PwDs and the elderly, providing assistive technologies in Arabic. The Ministry is keen to support Egyptian innovators to develop assistive technologies and connect innovators and companies developing these technologies with PwDs.

Under the theme: “creating an inclusive society”, the ceremony gathered software and applications developers in Egypt and PwDs interested in technology. In this context, the representative of Tawasul Committee for PwDs Islam Saber talked about the need to transform technological innovations to products that can compete in markets and make them available to PwDs through the active participation of businessmen and industry leaders.

On the other hand, Khaled Hanafi, an MP hailed the effort exerted by MCIT for developing PwDs skills, highlighting that the competition is a realistic and practical evidence from the state, providing technological solutions to improve the daily life of PwDs.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, an exhibition has been held, gathering the winners in this year’s competition.