• Lamia Kamel: Digital transformation is essential to secure the necessary infrastructure for building effective, competitive and sustainable communities
  • e-Finance signs a cooperation protocol with the Egyptian government to establish the "Egypt Digital Industrial Platform”

Engineer Ibrahim Sarhan, Chairman and Managing Director of e-Finance for Digital and Financial Investments, hailed the perfect timing of the climate conference COP27, which comes directly after the Economic Conference organized in Egypt to discuss the future of the Egyptian economy, was very positive, adding that the Egyptian government is keen on private sector participation to achieve Egypt's Vision 2030 across sectors, particularly climate change.

Sarhan clarified that the private sector represents 65% of the Egyptian market and is in that way a full partner to the Egyptian government in its vision to transition towards sustainability, whether through loans or grants directed towards climate adaptation. He further asserted that the private sector will be one of the key constituents to ensure a breakthrough in climate issues, since it is one of the sectors suffering the highest impacts of climate change.

Sarhan spoke at length to Narrative PR Summit, highlighting the role of the private sector and digitization to boost development efforts, in special episode focusing on digital transformation and financial inclusion initiatives. This online edition of the summit is entitled Beyond COP27, featuring a number of prominent figures in economic, touristic, environmental and almost every field to underscore key policy achievements and development projects, with a futuristic vision on the local and international arena.

During the episode, Sarhan announced another milestone for e-Finance as it recently signed an agreement to establish Egypt's Digital Industrial Platform through a cooperation protocol that encompasses all sectors of the Egyptian government, together with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The digital platform is set to facilitate the services and procedures for investors in the industry sector in addition to speeding up the completion of the required procedures and ensuring accurate governance through the development of the electronic digital system.

Sarhan went on to show how e-Finance, acting as the digital arm of the Egyptian government, and through its work towards digital transformation and financial inclusion, takes into account the parameters of sustainability and environmental conservation across its operations and expansion plans by focusing on three pillars: the environment aspect, the economic aspect and the social dimension.

Ibrahim explained how e-Finance contributed to accelerating digital transformation projects for all segments of society, particularly underprivileged segments which the government serves through Takaful and Karama projects. According to Ibrahim, specific projects were launched to address certain segments including Tahwisha, dedicated to lending women, and the Farmer’s Card which allows lending opportunities to farmers, in addition to providing lending and financing operations through the Aswaaq Misr platform which provides additional financial resources to all sectors in society. All of these initiatives, he asserted, contribute to achieving sustainable economic development and supporting the segments most affected by climate change ramifications.

Recognizing e-Finance efforts in environmental conservation and achieving sustainable development goals, Sarhan said that the company was honored by the award received from Prime Minister Madbouli for its efforts in digital transformation and the “car replacement initiative” which encouraged the use of natural gas as an environmentally friendly alternative within a state initiative for “Smart, Green Projects”. The company has thus offered numerous initiatives to ensure facilitated procedures and a successful application of a system based on the latest digital technologies.

Sarhan emphasized that, since its launch, the car replacement initiative greatly contributed to reducing carbon emissions and setting a limit to the environmental pollution caused by exhaust from cars that were manufactured more than 20 years ago. It has also enabled these car owners to replace their old cars at supported loans facilitated by both the government and participating banks, which highlights another successful economic and social dimension to the initiative.

Meanwhile, Lamia Kamel, Former Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Promotion and the Founder of Narrative PR Summit, said that “Digital transformation is an essential and indispensable step in order to build sustainable communities. It sets the foundation and infrastructure necessary to transform into effective, competitive and sustainable societies by bringing a real change to all services provided to citizens and investors and the introduction of an integrated system that can be effectively implemented, developed, and monitored for trackable results.”

Lamia added that “The Egyptian government has taken strides in this area, with citizens visibly feeling the impact of the digitization of many government services, which they can now complete via the easiest and simplest steps. The government now provides multiple online services through all digital and non-digital platforms, which all fall within a framework of building digital Egypt and the strategic direction of digitally transforming the Egyptian state.”

Narrative PR Summit is a platform dedicated to highlighting the positive efforts made within the Egyptian government and economy. Following a COVID-afflicted world, the summit took on an online edition through its social media podiums, providing a series of successful episodes which garnered more than 18 million impressions, 7 million interactions and 6 million views. The episodes talked to prominent officials and experts to provide an in-depth view for the latest achievements and development projects implemented in Egypt, with an eye on the future and the international hot topics on the scene.

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