Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore to expand Middle East operations

Shaik Umar, Center Director, Middle East, said: "Private and public sectors organisations as well as government entities across the region have expressed significant interest in partnering with us. This is the result of our third successive year of participation at the GITEX Technology Week 2007, the region's premier ICT event.

"With projects currently in Bahrain and Oman, we are in the process of discovering exciting opportunities in the GCC market. IDA first office in the Middle East will be opening in Qatar by the end of this year, although we are already helping the country develop its IT infrastructure in different sectors."

Two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) were signed between IDA and ICT Qatar (a government entity). Singapore based companies will provide the services platform and e-learning solutions among other services.

Umar added: "The 12 companies which exhibited in GITEX 2007, operate as separate entities will deliver world-class e-government solutions, e-learning, Identity Access Management (IAM) solutions for banks, advanced security research and development (R&D), and security solutions. IDA's role is to support and assist these companies and any interested Singapore companies in discovering Middle East markets".

IDA is responsible for the development of the infocomm sector in Singapore, and functions as the national infocomm master-planner and developer. Singapore has one of the most vibrant infocomm sectors in the region and the industry has evolved into an important engine of growth, netting revenues of more than SG$ 40 billion in 2006.