Building an information highway

This paper demonstrates the experience of Egypt in introducing the concept of the Information Highway. It describes the role of information technology in terms of computing, information and communication in boosting socio-economic development planning and change in priority issues and sectors in the economy. The paper covers the build-up of the information infrastructure of various sectors in the economy using state-of-the-art information technology while accommodating to newly emerging issues such as Internet, Intranet and the concept of the information highway. The focus of the paper will be on a comprehensive government program that started in 1994 targeting the development of a national information highway putting Egypt on the front-end in terms of business and socio-economic development. The paper demonstrates how such an ambitious objective required massive build-up of a human, information and technological infrastructure. The paper, in that respect, covers the introduction and development of the concept of the information-based society while demonstrating its development phases, mission, objectives, framework, challenges and opportunities among others. Finally, the paper highlights some of the recommended areas for future research related to the development of information highways in developing countries capitalizing on the findings and the lessons learnt from the Egyptian experience.