By Sami Zaptia.
London, 22 June 2021:
A high-level Libyan communications and information technology sector delegation headed by Faisel Gergab, Chairman of the Libyan Post Telecommunications and Information Technology Company (LPTIC), were received by Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Cairo on Sunday.
The meeting was to activate cooperation between Egypt and Libya in the fields of communications and IT. This comes after the signing of memoranda of understanding between the two countries, during the Egyptian delegation visit to Tripoli in April.
The two sides held an extensive meeting to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in accordance with the three memoranda of understanding signed between Egypt and Libya. Two memoranda of understanding were signed with the aim of rebuilding the IT infrastructure in Libya by benefiting from Egyptian international cables and capacity building.
Both sides presented their visions on ways to support bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the fields of infrastructure, digital transformation, postal services, capacity building, developing digital skills and cybersecurity of the Libyan network. Both parties agreed for the need to cooperate to improve the legislative and regulatory structure of the telecommunications sector.
A joint working team from the two countries to develop a timeline and plan that will see the implementation of interconnection and submarine cables, and digital transformation projects was agreed. The projects will include knowledge transfer from Egypt to Libya. The Egyptian side agreed to allow Libyan youth to attend training courses in Egypt as well as establish training centres in Libyan cities to produce talented IT professionals. It was also agreed to cooperate in the fields of entrepreneurship and supporting innovation, by creating data centres.
Both parties agreed to implement several projects that will represent a priority for Libya currently and next year and will include benefiting from the Egyptian experience in digital transformation in state institutions and automating government service operations, as it was agreed to establish a joint company that oversees the implementation of digital transformation initiatives.
It was also agreed to cooperate in the fields of infrastructure and training, and promoting the Libyan private sector, and to encourage partnerships between companies in both countries, while providing means for the success of these partnerships.
Attending the meeting, Egypt’s ambassador to Libya, Tamer Moussa, stressed that the Egyptian embassy in Libya will work to coordinate and support cooperation efforts between the two countries in communications and IT.
The Libyan delegation will be in Egypt from the 19th to 22nd June. During the visit there will be several executive meetings between the Egyptian and Libyan delegations whereby they will seek to enhance cooperation between both countries.
