The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) announced on Monday the dynamic innovations planned for this year's GITEX Technology Week. "The Egyptian ICT industry has so much to offer to GITEX Technology Week, and we are pleased to be sending a strong delegation to showcase our technological innovations and to identify new business opportunities. This is an encouraging time for our industry as many companies are beginning to look beyond borders to new markets and successfully compete on a regional and even international scale, Mohamed Omran, head of ITIDA said at the media briefing. According to a recent report by ITIDA, Egypt's communication and information technology exports are currently estimated at over $250 million and the country is on track to realizing annual IT exports of $1.5 billion by the year 2010. Egypt is already the largest telecom market in North Africa, representing an estimated 4 percent of the country's GDP. The resilient Egyptian economy has helped stimulate this steady growth, along with major injections of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). To harness this opportunity, ITIDA and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) are intensifying the collaborative efforts to encourage the highest number of Egyptian participants and trade visitors in this year's GITEX Technology Week. They will be working closely to bring a high-level official delegation to the exhibition. "Egypt represents one of the most dynamic developing markets within the ICT industry, as major Egyptian technology companies are taking a leading position by introducing and driving technological innovations throughout the region, said Abdulla Qassem, general manager at Dubai World Trade Centre. "We look forward to a strong Egyptian presence at GITEX Technology Week and welcome their continued support, he added. GITEX Technology Week will run September 8-12 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), held in association with GITEX Shopper, which takes place from the September 6-12 at the Airport Expo Dubai. The latest products and services from the Egyptian market will be exhibited in Hall 2, alongside Germany and England, a more concentrated platform for exhibitors to access global players. Egypt will also organize a seminar and an Egyptian night to encourage networking and knowledge-sharing with other countries, Omran told reporters. This year, security and network protection will be among the hot topics, with a number of the world's leading companies unveiling innovative means of protecting businesses and government organizations. A conference dedicated to promoting cooperation between different organizations in tackling network and IT security and addressing the need for advanced networking solutions will also be held at the event. "It is crucial for Egypt to be present at all important events; this is Egypt's destiny as a leader in the Middle East. We are sure that our cooperation with GITEX will lead to mutual benefits, Omran said.
