The Organizing Committee of Qatar ICT Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2014), set to go live on May 26 – 28 at the Qatar National Convention Center, held a press conference Tuesday to announce the latest updates on Qatar’s largest ICT event. The press conference was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR); fischerAppelt, qatar, QITCOM’s organizers; as well as partners and exhibitors.
Hussain Sulatt, Chairman of ictQatar’s QITCOM Steering Committee, said: “QITCOM comes as part of the Ministry of Information’s efforts to support Qatar’s development across all economic sectors, due to the ability of the ICT to make radical changes to the rates of economic development, and promote the different aspects of sustainable development in accordance with Qatar’s National Vision that aims at boosting the role of oil-independent economic sectors. Undoubtedly, the ICT sector is key to this vision.” “We are looking forward to stronger participation and interaction in this year’s edition of QITCOM in light of the favorable international reports on the ICT sector in Qatar,” Sulatt added, and pointed out that ictQATAR is organizing several QITCOM 2014 events and activities such as the Innovation Theatre, which includes unique competitions for young emerging entrepreneurs and talented students, in addition to introducing the Ministry’s new initiatives and programs.
“Several Qatari and international high- profile ICT experts are participating this year as keynote speakers and discussion panelists, presenting case studies about the current ICT sector’s framework, projected growth, and available opportunities in the Qatari market. Discussions will also cover the ongoing construction and infrastructure projects in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and ICT Strategy 2015”, QITCOM Manager Renal Shaaban said.
Shaaban pointed out that more than 100 leading ICT companies are participating in QITCOM this year, and more than 11 thousand visitors are expected to show up.
“There are so many factors paving the way for major regional and global ICT companies to take part and benefit from the numerous promising opportunities the Qatari market is offering, as QITCOM 2014 will open up unlimited possibilities for participants and visitors alike to establish the kind of projects that have the ability keep pace with the knowledge revival Qatar is witnessing,” added Shaaban.
On a similar note, David Schopper, General Manager of fischerAppelt, qatar, said: “QITCOM is a great incentive for the development of Qatar’s ICT sector, and an exceptional platform that brings together companies, providers, investors, and end-users. It is also consistent with our vision of founding a meeting venue to showcase the steps that the State of Qatar has taken towards pioneering new ideas in ICT.” The first day of QITCOM 2014 will focus on analyzing Qatar’s ICT reality including both the opportunities and challenges. It also discusses the role of ICT in boosting Qatar’s ability to fulfill the commitments of Qatar National Vision 2030, and what the country should expect from future initiatives by tackling a number of issues such as broad band internet, cyber security, satellites, communications, policies, as well as legal and regulatory frameworks.
Day one will also discuss Qatar’s current and future ICT framework, examining issues like smart cities, ICT application in public utilities and services like traffic, sanitation systems, e-commerce, e-finance, and other government services, and suggesting ways to promote demand on this sector as a highly desired career choice in Qatar.
The second day will highlight the role of ICT in the business sector and its tremendous contributions to achieving social and economic development in keeping with the Qatar’s national vision, particularly that the Qatari government is the main beneficiary, taking into account that it is the largest consumer of the services offered by the ICT sector.
Experts will also touch upon the government’s former ICT projects, the experience it acquired, the current requirements, and the role that companies can play for achieving high levels of future technological growth for the public sector in Qatar and the region.
QITCOM’s third day will shed light on ICT sector’s future prospects and Qatar’s competitive edge, being an emerging country and one of the sector’s regional leaders. Pundits will also focus on the issue of ‘Arabizing’ electronic websites by discussing ways to give individuals, companies, and governments the ability to promote the dissemination of Arabic digital content.
Experts will also investigate ways of turning ICT into the perfect tool for innovation and entrepreneurship, fostering Qatar’s new ideas and technologies, and outlining the future of Qatar’s ICT sector and how it can reshape the features of the private and public sectors regarding companies, government entities, and academic institutions.
Source : Qatar News Agency
