Egypt wins Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development "AGFUND" for 2022 for projects of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Project : National Network for Services for Persons with Disabilities

The Arab Republic of Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, won the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development (Arab Gulf Program for Development "AGFUND") for 2022, in the field of "Decent Work and Economic Growth", according to what the Prize Committee announced at its twenty-fourth meeting in May 2023.
The Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology won the international prize in the field of "Decent Work and Economic Growth", which is the eighth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, out of 108 projects nominated for the prize in its four branches, 54 projects qualified for arbitration that met the conditions, and the project "Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development in Egypt" - DT4SDE, implemented by the Central Administration for Digital Community Development at the Ministry, won it in the third branch dedicated to projects of government agencies and ministries, public institutions, social business institutions, and private sector institutions directed to support the social sector, as the value of the prize amounts to 200 thousand Dollar.

Obtaining this international award comes within the framework of an integrated strategy developed by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to achieve digital transformation, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030, by integrating information and communications technology into all sectors of community development, developing the infrastructure for information and communications technology, building human beings, and encouraging innovation and creativity in a way that reflects on enhancing Egypt's position at the regional and international levels.

The (Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development in Egypt) project works to improve the quality of life of individuals by enhancing the use of information and communications technology means and applications, spreading community awareness of their importance, and supporting sustainable community development by raising citizens' digital capabilities and preparing them to deal with the digital transformation process, leading to an Egyptian society that deals digitally in all aspects of life.

In implementation of the strategy of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and with regard to the axis of building skills for employment; The project contributes to adapting innovative technological solutions to build employment skills for all segments of society, especially the most needy, such as people with disabilities, women, and youth, which supports the efficiency of obtaining decent job opportunities and supporting small and medium enterprises, entrepreneurship, and freelancing through the following axes:

- Qudwa-Tech initiative to empower women economically and socially.

- Jobs and skills project for people with disabilities using information and communication technology.

- E-learning initiatives, and qualifying youth for freelance professional work.

- Initiative to activate the role of information technology clubs in community development.

It is worth noting that this is the second time that the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology projects have received the Prince Talal International Award for Human Development (AGFUND), as it previously won the award in 2010 for the project "Development of remote communities using information and communication technology - Siwa Oasis" as the best integrated development project in the first category (rural development through information and communication technology), which aimed to provide the opportunity for the residents of Siwa Oasis to build their capacities and develop their community using the capabilities of information and communication technology.
The Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development adopts the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 as its themes, with one of these goals being the theme of the award each year. The award is also given annually to the top four winners representing the four most important incubators of development work: UN, international and regional organizations, national civil society organizations, government agencies (ministries and government institutions), social business institutions, and private sector institutions that invest in the social sector and individuals.