Elly Yates-Roberts |
Microsoft Egypt and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) have partnered to accelerate sustainability management. Initiatives include establishing a Government Center of Excellence for Emissions Accounting and Reporting (GEAR COE), delivering training programmes in cloud computing and using artificial intelligence to improve Egyptian agriculture.
Through the development of GEAR COE, the two organisations aim to enable Egyptian authorities to digitally record, measure and report on carbon emissions.
“We are working closely with MCIT to provide the necessary technology solutions that support the Egyptian government’s efforts to reduce the negative effects of climate change in line with the National Climate Change Strategy 2050,” said Mirna Arif, general manager of Microsoft Egypt.
The partnership was announced at the United Nations climate summit COP27, which is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
“This cooperation is consistent in time and space with the State's efforts to adopt eco-friendly policies,” said Arif. “It coincides with Egypt's assumption of the presidency of the twenty-seventh session of the Climate Change Conference, and in light of the declaration of Sharm el-Sheikh as Egypt's first green city.”
According to Dr Amr Talat, minister of communications and IT, the partnership with Microsoft will help MCIT to adapt technology to serve environmental issues. For example, the two organisations will use AI to enhance the efficiency of Egyptian agriculture. They will co-develop techniques to help farmers improve the use of water in irrigating crops and access information that helps them predict climate changes and take preventive measures to protect their crops.