Egypt s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Saturday that the government will do its utmost to advance Egypt s status in the field of scientific research and innovation.
“Dear society, the educated, we need you and your minds and studies to overcome the country s problems,” El-Sisi said in a televised talk during the inauguration of the National Conference for Scientific Research, mentioning water pollution and sanitation.
El-Sisi s talk came following a speech by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar that highlighted efforts by his ministry in the field.
Abdel Ghaffar said the field was supported with EGP 21.1 billion in funds for the year 2017/2018 compared to EGP 17.8 billion in 2016/2017.
He said the ministry had hundreds of research centres with thousands of members in both private and public universities, as well as the ministry s institutions, adding that for every one million citizens in the country there are 775 researchers.
He hailed seven new bills, including ones related to funding science and technology and establishing an Egyptian space agency, in creating a vibrant atmosphere for innovation.
The minister added that around 40,218 Egyptian studies have been published worldwide in scientific journals, with 193 countries cooperating with Egypt in the same field.
Last December, the Egyptian parliamnent approved a law establishing the country s first space agency, with Abdel-Ghaffar telling MPs that with the help of Japan and China, Egypt will be able to launch its first satellite for scientific research in July 2018.
Last February, El-Sisi attended the third edition of the Africa Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (Africa STI Forum), which aimed to boost investment in the field of higher education and scientific research as a step towards realising a knowledge-based economy and maximising the benefit of African resources.
