Egypt recently launched its first nanotechnology centre aimed at boosting the country's technological education and scientific research applications. Tarek Kamel, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, told the opening ceremony at Smart Village near Cairo that the centre was important for science in Egypt and "sends a strong signal about the state's interest in promoting research and development".

"Nanotechnology means a lot for the national economy in the period ahead," he added.

The project is a collaboration between the Information Technology Industry Development Agency, a government institution, the state-run Science and Technology Fund, and the IBM Corp. Academics from Cairo University, Egypt's largest state-run university, will contribute to the centre.

The centre will be geared towards conducting research in the production of solar and renewable energy, water desalination and modelling of software programs, according to governmental officials.

"The centre will go operational with 10 Egyptian specialists, who will be the basis for qualifying more researchers in this rare specialisation," Kamel said. He hoped "this strong beginning" would encourage Egyptian scientists working abroad to return home.

"Nanotechnology is a new and exciting field for innovation, affecting every industry," added Kamel. "It has been identified as the way to position Egypt to become part of the next technological revolution."

Planning for the centre was based on a memorandum of understanding signed in September 2008 between the development agency, on behalf of the Egyptian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, the Science and Technology Development Fund representing the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and IBM.

It is funded by contributions from information technology and communications companies operating in Egypt, said officials.

In the 1980s, Egypt's Scientific Research Academy, a governmental institution, collaborated with IBM to set up a centre to 'Arabicise' the nation's data network.

"This centre has proven to be a distinguished technology school where many Egyptian specialists in different fields have been trained over the past 25 years," said Kamel.

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