Egypt launches SMB Business BOT to support SMEs in MENA

Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Develop has launched a new interactive platform, in cooperation with Facebook and the Rise Up Foundation, for entrepreneurship called the “SMB Business BOT” to support small and medium enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa.

Minister Hala El-Said explains that the platform represents one of the mechanisms to spread the culture of entrepreneurship, support small and medium enterprises and encourage youth projects.

She also highlighted the ministry’s eagerness to create and provide more tools to support entrepreneurial thinking.

They also aim to establish business incubators via “Rowad 2030” project that was launched by the ministry to spread the free business culture and support youth thinking in order to participate in the economic development operations, provide job opportunities and decrease unemployment rates.

The bot is part of the Egyptian state and the Ministry of Planning's efforts to support entrepreneurship and encourage youth to create job opportunities by themselves, she added.

The launch of the platform is an important step that supports digital transformation and activates the mechanisms of modern technology, she pointed out.

The minister added that the state spares no efforts to support digital transformation and use of technology means to upgrade the level of services and projects and to be able to compete according to the world competitiveness indicators.

Facebook Managing Director in the Middle East and North Africa Ramez Shehadi commented on the launch, saying that Facebook is committed to provide the tools that would enable small and medium enterprises push forward economic growth wheel, creating job opportunities and boosting local societies in Egypt,

The Founder of Rise Up Foundation Abdel Hamid Sharara said the Business BOT program will provide support needed by the different companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).