Etisalat Chairman address Connect conference in Abu Dhabi

Mr Omran was speaking at the Connect Strategic Telecoms Summit, which is being held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, during the opening day of MECOM 2008.

"The telecom market in the Arab region has become more mature and open. We have seen liberalization in all sectors of telecommunications services and this has given more and more incentives for operators to enter new markets and make full use of the investment opportunities that are available," said Mohammed Hassan Omran, Chairman of Etisalat.

Omran also stressed on the importance of planning and investing in international growth opportunities and said, "To benefit from this growth, Etisalat and other operators must be prepared to address emerging needs from subscribers in the region. We feel it is our duty as operators to continue to work hard to innovate, and introduce more and more services in the value chain. In the UAE as well as in Etisalat's international markets, this relentless commitment to innovation has realized new customer-centric services in banking, media, location-based applications as well as many other consumer services and business solutions."

The telecommunication sector in the Middle East is continuing to experience rapid growth. Etisalat has been anticipating this growth and has evolved into the foremost Arab telecommunications provider offering its services to over 668 million people in two continents - Asia and Africa.

"Etisalat today has the expertise and financial strength to grasp good opportunities as and when they arise. The Etisalat family and group of companies are in their strongest position to innovate, expand and take advantage of new opportunities within its existing markets. This is because of the synergies that we enjoy: in value; innovation; expertise; and from the strength of our international network and the effectiveness of our non-core business units," Omran said.

Etisalat is the largest Arab telecommunications company in the Middle East, with 63 million subscribers and has introduced the most advanced services to the region.