Mena ICT Forum puts Jordan back on regional technology map

News — By Samer Marzouq on September 26, 2010 at 10:08 pm

Jordanian Information Technology Association int@j is to bring together over 65 speakers to address the Mena ICT Forum 2010, being held in Amman on 10/10/10, the 10th October 2010. The two-day event is set to attract some 500 key executives and decision makers in government and the private sector from around the world and region and is being held under the patronage of HM King Abdullah II of Jordan.

“The Mena ICT Forum is a truly regional event and aims to place our ICT industry here in Jordan together with the regional industry,” said Abed Shamlawi, CEO of int@j. “It has been ten years now since Jordan embarked on its journey to create true economic value from its young technology industry. We have faced setbacks on the way, but we believe that our industry today proves that the original goal, to create value for the nation through building a technology free environment that encourages entrepreneurialism, has stood the test of time. Today, ICT accounts for 14% of GDP and supports over 80,000 jobs. Jordanian companies are creating value across the region and Jordanian talent is working across the region. That’s why the Forum has to be about the region.”

A stellar cast of speakers ranges from popular Emirati animator Mohammed Al Harib and Kuwaiti cartoon book creator Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, through government ministers and regional heads of e-government to regional and international executives representing IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Yahoo!, HP, Intel and other leading technology-driven companies.

“It’s our aim to get through the Forum without any presentation software being used. This meeting is about raising issues, focusing on regional opportunities and taking the debate forward to create real value, real initiatives and real partnerships. The people on the stage represent some of the smartest talent in our region and internationally and we want to use that critical mass of smart people to truly move the region forwards,” said Shamlawi. “That might strike people as a big aim, but I believe it’s realistic. Our region is ripe for this opportunity.”

Being held at the Business Park, the dedicated ICT hub located in West Amman, the Mena ICT Forum features a content-rich agenda that covers vital current and future issues related to regional investment climates, legislative supportive systems, infrastructure and communications, cloud computing, emerging technologies, Arabic content, as well as education and human capital development. In particular, the Forum addresses these issues in a context that is highly relevant to the Mena region, giving the business community, decision makers and stakeholders a holistic overview of the region’s current position, opportunities on hand, and the recommended approach for leveraging its potential.

“The Mena ICT Forum has been born out of the Jordan ICT Forum, which last took place in 2006. Although Jordan’s ICT development slowed beyond that event, we are now enjoying a huge burst of activities, growth and confidence. There’s a renaissance in Jordan’s technology industry and this Forum will firmly demonstrate that Jordan is back on top of the regional ICT map.” Said Shamlawi.

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