WorkShift 2026 Summit Opens with Egypt’s Minister of Labour, Highlighting Human Capital as the Cornerstone of the Digital Economy

 

The WorkShift 2026 Summit, Egypt’s first executive summit dedicated to the future of freelancing, remote work, and the digital economy, officially opened today in the presence of Hassan Raddad, Minister of Labour; Dr. Hoda Baraka, Advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Technological Skills Development and Honorary President of the Summit, representing Eng. Raafat Hindi, Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Eng. Mahmoud Safrata, Vice President for Market Development at the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA); and Eng. Mohamed El Haddad, Vice Chairman of the Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications (CIT). The event also brought together senior government officials, private-sector leaders, technology experts, and more than 200 CEOs and business executives.

In his keynote address, Hassan Raddad, Minister of Labour, stressed that Egyptian youth are moving in the right direction and continue to prove their competitiveness in the global labour market. He noted that the government is continuously working to modernize the labour environment and update legislation to keep pace with the rapid transformation of the global workplace.

The Minister emphasized that the political leadership fully recognizes the importance of adapting to modern work models. He explained that the Ministry of Labour is developing a legislative framework and introducing appropriate protection mechanisms for freelancers and independent professionals to create a more sustainable environment for this fast-growing sector.

He further affirmed the state’s strong commitment to supporting freelancing and flexible work, calling on participants to produce practical, actionable recommendations that would contribute to establishing an integrated legislative and regulatory framework capable of supporting Egypt’s digital economy and strengthening the country’s position as a regional hub for exporting digital skills and services.

In her opening remarks, Nermine El Nemr, Founder of the WorkShift Summit and CEO of Mantek Management, Training & Technology Solutions, the company behind the @Job platform, stated that Egypt’s greatest wealth is not its natural resources but its people. She emphasized that the summit was founded on the belief that Egyptian youth possess the talent and capabilities needed to compete successfully in international markets when provided with the right opportunities.

She added that WorkShift’s strategic vision is to position Egypt as a regional hub for exporting digital talent and cross-border services, stressing that investing in people has become both a national and economic imperative. She noted that the summit seeks to deliver practical recommendations through genuine collaboration between government institutions and the private sector.

El Nemr highlighted that Egypt possesses all the ingredients needed to achieve this vision—from its talented youth and universities graduating thousands of qualified professionals each year to its rapidly advancing digital infrastructure. She concluded by urging all stakeholders to work as one team and addressed Egyptian youth with a clear message: “Don’t wait for opportunities—create them yourselves.”

For his part, Eng. Mohamed El Haddad, Vice Chairman of the Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications (CIT), CEO of EDGECOM Egypt, and President of AITA-EG, stated that freelancing is no longer merely a youth issue but a strategic pillar of the digital economy. He emphasized that the strength of nations in the coming years will be measured by their ability to innovate and produce technology.

He explained that cloud computing, data centers, and cybersecurity have become the core infrastructure supporting every economic sector. He stressed that the future of Egypt’s digital economy depends on strengthening local technology production, integrating freelancers into the formal economy, and increasing the participation of Egyptian technology companies in national projects to boost digital exports and enhance industrial competitiveness.

El Haddad concluded by emphasizing that human capital will always remain Egypt’s greatest asset and that building a sustainable digital economy is a shared responsibility among government, the private sector, and educational institutions.

Speaking at the summit, Dr. Hoda Baraka, Advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Technological Skills Development, said the world is experiencing an unprecedented transformation driven by artificial intelligence, making it essential to equip young people with the skills required by the future labour market.

She noted that AI will create entirely new career opportunities while reshaping many existing jobs, making digital skills, communication, languages, management, and negotiation essential capabilities for global competitiveness.

Dr. Baraka also highlighted the rapid growth of freelancing and remote work as key drivers of economic development, revealing that the number of freelancers in Egypt increased from approximately 390,000 to 890,000 by the end of 2025. This growth helped Egypt improve its global freelancing ranking from 35th to 9th worldwide.

She added that the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, through ITIDA, continues to launch initiatives and training programs aimed at equipping young Egyptians with digital skills and connecting them with both local and international employment opportunities. She concluded by encouraging young people to create their own careers rather than wait for traditional jobs, emphasizing that freelancing has become one of the state’s key pillars for advancing the digital economy.

Meanwhile, Eng. Mahmoud Safrata, Vice President for Market Development at the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), affirmed that freelancing has become one of the main drivers of growth for Egypt’s ICT sector and digital services exports. He noted that freelancing is no longer an alternative employment option but a fully-fledged career path that supports Egypt’s expansion into international digital services markets.

He explained that Egypt has achieved remarkable progress in this field, with the number of freelancers steadily increasing and the country now ranking among the top ten global freelancing markets, according to World Bank reports. This reflects the growing capabilities of Egyptian professionals and their success in delivering competitive digital services internationally.

Safrata added that ITIDA is implementing a comprehensive strategy to support this growth through digital skills development, specialized training programs, and networking opportunities with international companies and digital platforms. He also announced that the agency is preparing to launch a new package of incentives and support programs for freelancers aimed at enhancing their global competitiveness and increasing their contribution to Egypt’s digital exports, reinforcing the country’s position as a leading global destination for outsourcing, technology, and cross-border digital services.