Dr Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, met yesterday with Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy. They discussed closer cooperation on digital transformation and consular service development to make services easier to access for Egyptians at home and abroad.
The meeting covered information systems, digital infrastructure and capacity building. Abdelatty praised the Communications Ministry’s support for digital transformation at his ministry and stressed the importance of continuing to develop digital systems and staff skills, particularly in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data analysis, as part of the state’s digital transformation plan.
The ministers also agreed to extend the exemption period for mobile phones used by Egyptians living abroad during visits to Egypt from 90 to 120 days, effective from 1 April. The change aims to make visits easier and improve access to digital services.
Abdelatty expressed appreciation for cooperation between the ministries, particularly in digitising consular transactions through postal document authentication initiatives and Digital Egypt platform services. He reaffirmed the commitment to developing and expanding these services while ensuring their efficiency and sustainability. The ministers also stressed the need to raise awareness of digital services for Egyptians abroad and continue expanding authentication services through Egypt Post to improve access to consular services.
Hendy praised the productive cooperation with the Foreign Ministry in delivering digital services that meet citizens’ needs at home and abroad. He said the Communications Ministry is committed to accelerating digital transformation across state institutions, keeping pace with technological developments and improving performance, while expanding government services on the Digital Egypt platform. A pilot service for Egyptians abroad has already been introduced through the platform, allowing electronic requests for replacement copies of four types of certificates. Work is under way to expand these services, starting with those most in demand among Egyptians overseas.
Following the meeting, the ministers attended the launch of a commemorative postage stamp marking the bicentenary of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued in cooperation with Egypt Post. The stamp forms part of the ministry’s celebration of Diplomacy Day, observed on 15 March each year, and commemorates the long history of Egyptian diplomacy and its role in serving national interests and strengthening Egypt’s regional and international standing. Source: the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s official Facebook page.
