By : Bakinam Khaled
Eng. Hossam El-Gamal, Executive President of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA), received today Dr. Cosmas Zavazava, Director of Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), during his visit to Egypt in response to the invitationextended by NTRA’s Executive President to Dr. Zavazava to visit Egypt and recognize the Egyptian model to provide and disseminate telecom services within the national project, “Haya Karima,” which aims at developing Egypt’s countryside. To this end, both sides set off on a tour in
some villages of “Shibin Al-Qanater” in Al-Qalyubiah, which are targeted
by “Haya Karima.” The tour was made in the presence of Mr. Ahmed
Badawy, Chief of Telecommunication and Information Technology
Committee in Egypt’s Parliament, and Parliament members: Mr. Samir
Sobhy, Mr. Mostafa El-Qammar, and Mr. Medhat El-Qammar. The
tour was also attended by Dr. Samir Hammad, Deputy-Governor of Al-
Qalyubiyah Governorate, as well as Eng. Mohamed Nasr, Chief
Executive Officer of Telecom Egypt, and aimed to introduce the efforts of
the Egyptian State to deploy and reinforce landline and mobile
infrastructure. It also meant to review the efforts exerted by the State to raise awareness, build capacities, and educate citizens on how to use digital
services in order to achieve digital and financial inclusion.
Eng. Hossam El-Gamal, NTRA’s Executive President, clarified that within
the efforts made by most countries to tighten the divide between urban and
rural areas in terms of utilities and public services provided to citizens, in
line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, the Egyptian State
adopted a methodology that takes the side of citizens as it has not only
sought to tighten the divide but also to fully bridge it. Eng. Hossam El-
Gamal also expressed that the ITU was keen on recognizing Egypt’s
pioneering model to provide connectivity at rural areas in order to achieve
digital inclusion, improve the quality of life, achieve integration among all
utilities and public services for all citizens, and empower all segments of
society to become a part of the different State’s programs and projects,
through reinforcing and facilitating digital services at unconnected areas as
well as providing an information infrastructure, being integrated rights for
all citizens alongside other basic utilities. It’s worth noting that “Haya
Karima” is utilized by 58 million citizens most of which are living in Egypt’s
countryside, and was praised by many international organizations
concerned with development; it was classified by the United Nations as one
of the best developmental initiatives worldwide.
Furthermore, Eng. Hossam El-Gamal explained that NTRA, during the
Initiative’s first phase, implemented a plan through Universal Service Fund (USF), in cooperation with the private sector represented by the licensed
operators in Egypt’s market, to make sure all individuals of society have
access to telecom services. The plan entailed the intensification of mobile
coverage in “Haya Karima” villages by establishing 1096 new mobile
stations, 594 of which were funded by NTRA via USF, by a 43%-increase
in the number of mobile stations covering phase 1- villages. This step took
place to boost 4G voice and mobile internet coverage for 899 villages
within phase 1, at a total cost of EGP 4 billion, and modernize 576 existing
mobile stations.
From his side, Dr. Cosmas Zavazava, Director of ITU-
Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), praised Egypt’s model
to provide connectivity and telecom services and bridge the digital divide,
describing it as a pioneering model that is looked up to, particularly in rural
areas where telecom services are much needed. He also pointed out that the
ITU backs the objectives of “Haya Karima” Initiative since they are aligned
with his vision and the goals of the ITU's Development Sector (ITU-D)
goals, namely: achieving digital inclusion, bridging the digital divide and
accelerating digital transformation to achieve social as well as economic
development for all people.
During the tour, both sides visited the Government Service Center in
Shibin Al-Qanater to identify its capacity and role in providing digital
services to citizens and reviewed the projects of reinforcing landline and mobile networks infrastructure in the village of “Arab El-Sawalha.”
Eventually, training and education programs at the primary school of “Al-
Ahraz” Village were also reviewed.
It’s noteworthy that Dr. Cosmas Zavazava took office as Director of the
ITU/BDT on January 1, 2023, with an experience of more than 30 years
in telecommunications. Prior to his election as BDT Director, he oversaw
development-related projects, strategic partnerships and took part in
launching new initiatives that boosted capacity-building and the
engagement of private-sector in development
