Sohila Said, an Egyptian architect and engineer, is soaring to new heights after playing a key role in the construction of the New Alamein City, a cooperation project between Egypt and China.
The project, being constructed by the Egyptian branch of the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC Egypt) under the Belt and Road Initiative, is crucial in the country's strategy to promote urban development.
Egypt, a leading economy on the African continent, faces a population boom amid challenging economic and urban conditions, as just 4 percent of land along the Nile River is home to 99 percent of the more than 100 million Egyptians.
In 2015, the Egyptian government launched a transformative agenda to tackle its developmental challenges.
In response, to the north of Cairo, the New Alamein City is rising majestically from the desert, expected to become an economic and industrial hub.
"[When the project is completed,] it will be better than everything. Wow. I was working here one time. I can tell my children, your mom was working here," said Sohila.
Together with her Chinese colleagues, Sohila is now responsible for ensuring that the construction boom is developing according to plan.
"Working at this mega project and also with an international company like CSCEC is giving me good [preparation] for my future. I want to go outside, to be a good engineer outside. This makes me here the first step to go there," she said.
Sohila said there are still conservative beliefs in Egypt that insist women should stay at home, which at times proves to be a challenge in a male-dominated work environment.
"The laborers, how they feel about women at the site? Like, I can't treat her like an engineer. I can't treat her like a woman. Go away. I can deal with them. And also our Chinese company is a good protector for us," she said.
However, her expertise is highly recognized and appreciated by other engineers.
"Ms. Sohila is a very helpful woman with us and also has experience to benefit us from many sides. It's up to her. It's up to her willingness for the work. I saw Engineer Sohila has passion to work here," said one of her male colleagues.
"I think girls can do anything. If she wants to do anything, she can do anything. Maybe sometimes you can see here in Egypt, you see mechanical engineers. Girls can go under the car to fix it and do anything. So, women can do anything," she said.
Egyptian female engineer breaks barriers in construction of New Alamein City
The CEO of Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has shed a light on the opportunities and challenges posed by the rapid evolution of mobile communications, emphasizing the need to utilize the new technologies in a responsible manner while embracing massive transformations.
John Hoffman, CEO of the GSMA, elaborated on how the mobile industry will fuel economic growth over the next decade through the implementation of 5G technology, during an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit.
He expressed high expectations on the emergence of new industries and business ideas driven by the "transformational" 5G, 5G advanced and 6G technologies.
"What we're seeing now is the transformation of businesses, large and small around the world, everything from the manufacturing sector being remade using technology, to the education systems around the world using technology, to educate our young people in ways that they've never foreseen in the past. So it's really a transformational opportunity that we have here with 5G. Fintech, medical research, the practice of remote surgeries that we could only envision in the past is now becoming the wave of the future. So, 5G is a very much transformational technology, one that is going to impact all of our lives now and then, well into the future," said Hoffman.
Highlighting China's influence on shaping global 5G innovation and 5G technology going forward, the CEO said the GSMA is hopeful of leveraging China's know-how to help promote the mobile communications technologies in the fledgling countries.
"China has been one of the leaders of 5G, obviously one of the first to implement the 5G technology, one of the first to now evolve it to 5G advanced. It is the largest country, we have more users of 5G technology here in China than we do anywhere in the world. So it's one of the global leaders. It's a showcase for the technology, and that's what the GSMA wants to do, is help bring that innovation, showcase that innovation, showcase the use cases that have been successful here to other parts of the world, to learn not only as China has learned from others, but to export those learnings to other countries that are now maybe just adopting 5G," Hoffman said.
Noting that new technology is emerging as a powerful force with the potential to transform the world on an unprecedented scale, Hoffman called for greater attention to the ethical and sustainable development of emerging technologies.
"Technology is just a tool, it's a tool, and it's a tool that if we can use it in a responsible manner we can benefit everyone around the world. Just as the original mobility communications transformed our lives by cutting the cord, 5G is going to transform our lives. Not as so much directly for the consumer, but more for the way that they live and work. So, the way that products are developed, products are then provided, services are provided, the way that technology allows processes to be enhanced. Now we combine that with AI, we have the best of our world. So we're going to see massive transformations in the coming years," he said.
The CEO also noted that the GSMA is working to promote the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the technical safety of mobile communications, while integrating with other products and technologies to boost innovations.
The 11th edition of WIC Wuzhen Summit is scheduled to run from Nov 19 to 22, themed "Embracing a People-centered and AI-for-good Digital Future -- Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace." The event features 24 sub-forums on topics delving into a wide range of topics, as participants gather to exchange ideas and shape the digital future.
GSMA CEO sheds light on future of mobile communications at WIC Wuzhen Summit
