Abu Dhabi's digital transformation draws global admiration at GITEX opener

Attendees to the ongoing GITEX 2012, the latest edition of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA) Region's premier ICT business event running from October 14 to 18, 2012 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, agree that an expanding ICT framework is taking the emirate steps closer to its goal of becoming one of the world's top governments in the next few years.

Catching the global spotlight is a special Stand at the venue's Sheikh Saeed Halls near the Government pavilion where the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC), the government body responsible for local ICT development, is showcasing Abu Dhabi's cutting-edge, ICT-enabled public services. Among the high-profile officials who graced the stand yesterday at the opening day of GITEX 2012 were H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. Both prominent figures commended ADSIC for its outstanding work in enabling the modernization of government services via information technology.

H.E. Mohammed Ahmad Al Bowardi, the Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, is also set to visit GITEX 2012 today and check out ADSIC's popular presentations.

"It is an honor to both receive such a high level of admiration from the world's best ICT practitioners, experts and decision makers and feel the genuine respect towards Abu Dhabi's ICT maturity given by no less than some of this country's great leaders. The ADSIC team will definitely draw on the overwhelming positive results of its participation in GITEX 2012 to continue taking Abu Dhabi's ICT growth to the next level," said H.E. Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General, Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre.

ADSIC is holding a series of presentations at GITEX 2012 explaining the core e-services it offers to government and private entities. The Centre is particularly focusing on the Abudhabi.ae e-Government Portal; the 24/7 Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre (800 555); the jobs.abudhabi.ae online job search platform; and the Abu Dhabi Spatial Data Infrastructure (AD-SDI) geospatial data sharing initiative.

GITEX is a consumer computer and electronics trade show held in Dubai annually that has grown into the MEASA Region's ICT business gateway. This year's edition welcomes nearly 140,000 ICT professionals from 144 countries and over 3,500 ICT companies from 77 countries. More than 80% of the leading global ICT brands have a presence at the event.

The Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre was formed as a Committee in 2005 and eventually upgraded to a full-fledged Centre in 2008. Its vision is to develop a high-performance Abu Dhabi Government delivering world-class intergovernmental, business and public services.