The ninth edition of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) conference, MEET ICT, and the Bahrain International Technology Exhibition (BITEX) commenced today.
The conference is being held under the patronage of HE the Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal bin Ahmed, in the presence of HE the Chief Executive Officer of the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA), Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, attended on behalf of His Excellency, at the Gulf Hotel.
Mr. Al Qaed highlighted the importance of the ICT sector in Bahrain as one of the pillars of the development process to attract foreign investments and bring in more international companies to operate within this sector,” said Mr. Al Qaed.
He highlighted the importance of organizing this annual event in cooperation and partnership with Work Smart for Events Management, as one of the national initiatives that contribute to enhancing the Kingdom’s position and confirming its leading position in the ICT industry at regional and international levels. “This gathering represents a good opportunity to highlight Bahrain’s efforts in the field of ICT, especially with the continuous efforts in digital transformation, and other new introduced technologies such as artificial intelligence applications, cloud computing migration and more,” he said.
Over 50 local, regional and international exhibitors are participating in BITEX. “The presence of such a large number of technical experts from Bahrain and the region in MEET ICT, in addition to BITEX exhibitors, will enhance the cooperation between Bahrain with rest of the region and the world countries in various fields of information and communication technology,” he explained.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, United States Ambassador to Bahrain, Justin Siberell, praised Bahrain’s progress in its digital transformation, pointing out that this progress will positively impact Bahrain-US trade cooperation. “The participation of major American companies in the Meet ICT Conference and BITEX, such as Cisco and Microsoft, plays a significant role in enhancing the exchange of experience and cooperation in the technical field between the two countries,” said Mr. Siberell.
“Amazon’s selection of Bahrain as its regional headquarters is an indicator of the strength and effectiveness of this cooperation,” he added.
The theme of this year’s Meet ICT Conference is ‘Innovation and Adaptation in Digital Transformation’ and includes the participation of over 30 speakers from all around the world. “The interactive workshops will discuss the latest technology issues and aim to enhance the contribution of the ICT sector in Bahrain to the national economy, by integrating it with Vision 2030,” said Bahrain Technology Companies Society president, Ubaydli Ubaydli.
He praised the role of all partners in the success of theevent, including the Tamkeen Labor Fund, the Information and e-Government Authority and Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The conference and exhibition provide a regular platform to meet the industry and decision makers in the private and government sectors. Further, it directly monitors the developments and trends of the IT industry,” explained Mr. Ubaydli.
He welcomed all conference and exhibition participants from experts, professionals and decision-makers from government organizations, the IT sector, telecommunications and industries of common interest in the industry.
About 50 local, regional and international IT companies are taking part in the BITEX exhibition, which creates an extensive platform for signing agreements and contracts,and entering beneficial partnerships.