Shifts in global outsourcing sees Egypt break into top 10 offshoring destinations

The report analyzes and ranks countries for locating outsourcing activities including IT services, contact centers and back office support.

It measures against three categories - financial attractiveness, people and skills availability and business environment.

Egypt, having ranked 13th in 2007, is fast becoming one of the world's hottest offshoring destinations and has established itself as the leading Middle East and North Africa location. The report cited the competitive cost and the availability of qualified people on top of Egypt's biggest attractions.

A recent report by the Commonwealth Business Council and CyberMedia also highlights Egypt's continued progress and capabilities, ranking it the number one outsourcing destination in Africa.

The study which outlined the outsourcing readiness of 15 African nations, clearly expressed that infrastructure, people and skills played a key role in the offering, with Egypt ranking highly in these areas, and topping the list overall.

Commenting on the findings of the recent A.T. Kearney report, Dr. Hazem Abdelazim, CEO of Egypt's Information Technology Development Industry Agency (ITIDA) said, "We are seeing a continued shift in the global outsourcing landscape. Companies looking to outsource are looking not only at the cost benefits, but also at the skills and availability of talent and the overall business environment. Egypt is continuing to push forward in developing its large talent pool and in providing a safe, modern business environment."

The ever-growing list of multinationals investing in Egypt including Vodafone, Teleperformance, IBM, Microsoft, SQS, Stream Global Services, and Valeo is another testament to the country's unwavering efforts to establish itself as a leading global outsourcing destination.