Sakhr as Platinum Sponsor for Microsoft Middle East Developers Conference - MDC 2005

The event will be held under the auspices of H. E. Dr. Ahmed Nazeef, Egyptian Prime Minister, and H. E. Dr. Tarek Kamel, Minister of Ministry of Communications & Information Technology (MCIT), Egypt. The opening address will be presented by Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect of Microsoft Corporation.

The announcement was made by Salah Malaeb, General Manager, Sakhr Software Co., who advised that this decision comes as a result of high profile meetings conducted between Sakhr and Microsoft Middle East, Europe and Africa. During these meetings, Microsoft expressed its keenness that Sakhr be a major sponsor of this prestigious event, particularly as Sakhr has developed cutting-edge technologies that have left a strong mark in Arabian culture and in the IT industry of the Arab World. Sakhr has accepted the invitation, building on the long-term partnership between Sakhr Software and Microsoft and adding to the fruitful results of bilateral collaboration for the benefit of regional markets.

In its sponsorship booklet, Microsoft explained that Sakhr is its strategic ally, and that the two companies have been collaborating together in support of e-Government projects and in outlining the path of e-learning development in the region's states.

In accordance with this announcement, Sakhr Software Co. will be heading the list of Platinum Sponsors at the International Microsoft Middle East Developers Conference 2005, the largest developers conference in the Middle East, which will be held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for the period from 29 January - 1 February 2005.

"It is important for Microsoft to join hands with exceptional Arab partners, those who can prove that Microsoft platforms can integrate with advanced Arab technologies. For this reason Microsoft insists on viewing Sakhr as its strategic ally, because Sakhr's applications have indeed proved that Microsoft platforms integrate efficiently with Arabic language software," explained Malaeb. He added, "This also confirms the worldwide recognition enjoyed by Sakhr as a major developer of software of international standards."

It is worth noting that Sakhr is the first Arab company to become a Platinum Sponsor, the highest level of sponsorship, for such an important event.