Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom stressed the importance of facing challenges with optimism and determination, making repeated attempts to overcome obstacles and building experience over time to achieve goals. The minister made the remarks during an open discussion with Egyptian university students, alongside Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh.
The event was organized by the Leadership Preparation Center in Helwan on the sidelines of preparatory sessions for the Egypt Forum. The meeting addressed labor market issues, entrepreneurship, opportunities available to young people, and their role in shaping the future.
It brought together 150 students from various Egyptian universities. Asked how he had viewed the future when he was a university student, Rostom said his outlook had been shaped by ambition and a desire to study, learn, and gain experience. He stressed that perseverance, knowledge, and optimism were among the key qualities needed to achieve one's goals.
Students also asked about projects they could launch with limited capital. Rostom said the choice of project should reflect an individual's intellectual and analytical abilities. He highlighted the opportunities created by advances in information technology, computing, and communications, particularly in artificial intelligence, programming, and IT services.
Identifying a problem in the workplace or in a field with an established information network, developing a simple solution using AI, programming, or IT tools, and turning it into a marketable product with proven demand could provide one of the easiest routes to launching a business with limited capital, the minister said.
Rostom cited Microsoft as an example of a company that grew from an idea into a major global technology company. He urged students to remain committed to education and continuous learning, avoid giving up, and develop their experience and skills as much as possible.
He also highlighted the potential of social media platforms to help young people acquire new skills and gain experience. The discussion also covered priority sectors and the skills needed to establish successful businesses amid rapid economic and technological changes.
Rostom said cloud computing was among the key areas receiving government attention and featured prominently in discussions across relevant government institutions. He added that authorities were examining the sector from various angles to establish a sound foundation for expansion, as several neighboring countries were moving rapidly to develop it.
Egypt recently saw the establishment of its first data center involving private-sector participation and Egyptian-European investment, an initiative announced about a month earlier, Rostom said. He added that private companies had begun entering this vital sector, which offers promising investment opportunities.