THE Cairo ICT 2010 Forum, a leading communication and information technology in the Middle East, kicked off on Sunday with hundreds of participants, businessmen and co-operation opportunities. “ The ICT sector has proved to be successfully managing the impacts of the latest global financial crisis,” Tareq Kamel, Egyptian Minister of Communication and Information Technology, said in the opening remarks on Sunday. “As well, the ICT sector is the second growing sector in the Egyptian Economy and plays a tangible role in the Egyptian economy.” The forum doesn't only gather businessmen, corporations and institutions working in the field of information and communication technology, but it's an opportunity for ICT fans and interested people to meet with producers and see the latest in numerous related sectors. The four-day event, in its 14th version, presents a selection of panels tackling various ground-breaking issues about like the green ICT and the role of the civil society promoting ICT dissemination. “ It is not a matter of luxury. We have to set our agendas with regard to the environment and ICT,” said Kamel. “It's a quite critical issue that people everywhere support this and this industry.” The works as a thermometre for the sector's activities, say the market observers. “As stock exchange reflects economy's activity, Cairo ICT Forum is a mirror for our activities,” Osama Kamal, the Managing Director of the Trade Fairs International, the organisers of the Cairo ICT, said. The event gathers a collection of items and themes all under the umbrella of Information and Communication Technology. The topics discussed in the Forum include 1Max and 3Max Cinema, Challenges and Opportunities in the Cinema Industry, Green ICT, Digital Identity, e-Health: Towards a Better Healthcare System and e-Government. “Being a businessman, this forum is a huge opportunity for networking and cooperation, but I'm not a businessman,” said Ali Abdel-Tawab, an accountant who pays a lot of his time and money chasing the latest about mobile phones. “Here I don't only have a chance to see the latest productions of several brands, but I also have a forum to discuss with corporations' representatives what I see and I feel the discussions could someday bring to the markets a mobile that's specially tailored for me,” he added with a grin.
