Oman, represented by Information Technology Authority (ITA) and Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), will be in Dubai to take part in Gitex, the region's largest annual ICT trade exhibition which opens next week.

Oman's participation at Gitex this year will be the biggest of its kind compared to previous years in terms of the area earmarked for the Sultanate's pavilion and the number of participating institutions under the umbrella of Digital Oman, said a senior official.

The Sultanate's pavilion will be divided into two sections, one dedicated to government institutions and the other to private institutions in line with its plans to tap a wider audience in the fast growing information and communications technology market through partaking in regional and international forums.

On the significance of the government sector's participation in Gitex, Talalbin Sulaiman Al Rahbi, the deputy CEO for Operations at ITA said: "Through Gitex platform, the Sultanate aspires to attract investments, businessmen and private companies by promoting attractive investment opportunities and potentials through showcasing a number of successful model eProjects implemented by government and private sectors."

Al Rahbi pointed out that ITA would represent the government institutions through showcasing eProjects adopted by various government bodies including ministry of education, tourism and Muscat municipality; in addition to ePayment Gateway and the Official eGovernment Services Portal.

"These successful projects will be underscored to demonstrate Oman's steady progress in the ICT sector especially within the eGovernment field. This in turn will enhance investor's confidence on the presence of a vigorous base for investment in large-scale projects which are linked to ICT in the government and private sectors," he explained.

"Gitex, being the largest ICT event in the Middle East, is a valuable opportunity for Sultanate's participants to engage, learn and implement the advances triggered in the ICT industry," Al Rahbi said.

Mohamed bin Hamad Al Maskari, the director general of Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) said this was its eighth participation at Gitex, which comes as part of the marketing and promotional campaign for KOM as a centre for a robust, diverse, prosperous and self-sustaining knowledge-driven economy in Oman.

This year, three local companies will take part in Gitex under the umbrella of KOM, namely: Oman Data Park, Iton and Infocomm," Al Maskari noted.

According to him, KOM officials will introduce visitors to the incentives provided to investors and will promote its mission in advancing human and social development through the generation, dissemination and application of knowledge using Oman's competitive advantages.

"KOM, which currently hosts more than 100 local, regional and international companies, will promote its fourth building (KOM4) and highlight its services and facilities to the companies that are willing to set up projects in the building," Al Maskari said.

"The current occupancy rate of KOM4 is 65 per cent with a total of 61 local and international companies running business in the building," he added.-TradeArabia News Service