| Amr Talaat | |
| Native Name: | عمرو طلعت |
| Birthname: | Amr Ahmed Samih Talaat |
| Office: | Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt |
| Primeminister: | Mostafa Madbouly |
| Predecessor: | Yasser ElKady |
| President: | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi |
| Term Start: | 14 June 2018 |
| Birth Place: | Egypt |
| Alma Mater: | Cairo University Illinois Institute of Technology ESLSCA University University of Paris |
Amr Ahmed Samih Talaat (Arabic: عمرو طلعت) is the Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology. He is a computer scientist and former business executive.[1] Talaat was appointed on 14 June 2018.[2]
Amr Talaat was born on March 9, 1961 in Egypt. He pursued his early education in engineering, graduating from Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University. Talaat furthered his studies in the United States, earning a Master of Science in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology. He also completed an Master of Business Administration from Paris ESLSCA Business School and a Doctor of Business Administration from University of Paris, Paris School of Business.[3] [4]
Talaat is an Adjunct Professor at Cairo University, where he teaches courses on marketing and sales strategies, organizational behavior, and strategic management. He is an honorary member of the ICT Board at Cairo University and a member of the ICT Board of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT). [5] Furthermore, he serves as the Chairman of the ICT Committee at Egypt's American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).[6] [7]
In August 1988, Talaat joined IBM Egypt, where he held various managerial positions. He became the IBM Country General Manager on May 23, 2010, after serving as a Territory Manager since 2005.[8] In these roles, he oversaw the company’s Systems and Technology Group and its Business Partner Organization.
During his tenure, Talaat focused on achieving corporate financial goals while also moving into strategic and operational areas. These efforts included building human capital, strengthening customer loyalty, promoting corporate social responsibility, and enhancing employees’ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
In 14 June 2018, Talaat was appointed as the Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt after taking the constitutional oath before President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as part of the formation of Mostafa Madbouly's First Cabinet at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo.[9] On July 3, 2024, he was sworn in again as part of Madbouly's Second Cabinet.[10]
As minister, he has been instrumental in implementing Egypt’s Digital Transformation Initiative, which is part of the broader Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030. His initiatives focus on developing and securing the country’s IT and telecom infrastructure, improving government services, and fostering a generation of professionals skilled in advanced digital technologies.[11] [12]
During his tenure, Egypt hosted ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 in Sharm El-Sheikh,[13] the New Administrative Capital was designated as the Arab Digital Capital for 2021.[14] Under his leadership, Egypt chaired the 51st Ordinary Session of the Executive Bureau of the Arab Telecommunications and Information Council of Ministers (ATICM), organized by the League of Arab States.[15] Additionally, Egypt chaired the 26th Session of the ATICM, during which the Arab ICT Strategy was adopted.[16]
The achievements also included Egypt’s prominence from category “C” in the World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index in 2018, to Category “B” in 2020, then Category “A” in 2022.[17] Increasing Egypt's Submarine Cable Landing Stations from 7 to 10 stations within one year. [18]
Egypt received the Speed test Award for the fastest fixed Internet speed in Africa from Ookla for the first and second quarters of 2022. This recognition reflects the progress made in upgrading the country’s Internet infrastructure, with median fixed broadband speeds rising from 6.5 Mbps in 2019 to 46 Mbps.[19]
Amr Talaat has played a pivotal role in Egypt's digital transformation efforts. Under his leadership, the development of the New Administrative Capital aims to centralize government operations and shift towards a paperless, digital government. This includes the digitalization of government services, initially piloted in Port Said and now expanded nationwide, offering a platform for accessing various services.[20] The digitalization initiative includes over 113 services in Port Said, with 34 services available across the country and 150,000 citizens registered for digital identities. These efforts are part of Egypt's Vision 2030, focusing on comprehensive digital transformation. With over 18,000 government buildings connected to a fiber-optic network and the establishment of innovation centers. The New Administrative Capital features modern data centers and secure networks, and ongoing projects include automating health services and implementing e-signature solutions.[21]
In November 2019, Amr Talaat, as Minister of Communications and Information Technology, chaired the establishment of the National Council for Artificial Intelligence.[22] This platform aims to facilitate discussions among stakeholders on AI topics, foster AI partnerships, promote innovation, and support research and capacity building. It will also provide information on the implementation of the national AI strategy and related policies and programs.[23] [24]