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Innovation Policy in Egypt PDF Print E-mail
According to the latest European Trend Chart on Innovation, Egypt has an innovation policy implemented via measures to stimulate investment, venture capital,business incubators, industrial modernisation, SME development and entrepreneurship. There is no formal coordination body. The delivery of innovation policy is carried out via the programmes of the relevant ministries often implemented with assistance from donor organisations. An important point of reference is the SFD or Social Fund for Development, which finances business centres and incubators as well as the IMP or Industrial Modernisation Programme and GAFI - the General Authority For Investment.

Key characteristics of the country:

  • Industry is dominated by family enterprise structures. Some such as ORASCOM are very big and are aggressively expanding on an international basis in the region.
  • There are many projects to develop elements of the innovation system. However they have been slow to take-off and they seem to be dominated by a ‘real-estate’ logic.
  • There are pockets of scientific excellence.
  • Overall poor match between the educational sector and needs of industry and society.
  • General mistrust of public administration by the private sector.
  • Weak culture of information and dissemination.

Key drivers:

  • Industrial modernisation.
  • The privatisation of state industry.
  • Recent appointments to ministerial posts of people with a strong private sector backgrounds in areas such as finance, tourism and industry, reflect recognition by government at the highest level of the need to harness market forces and introduce a service culture in government. This is one of Egypt’s ‘grand challenges’ for the future.

Download European Trend Chart report