During 2008, purchases of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and services within Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will overtake the United States, according to a recent report by international research company, Global Insight. As the economy in the US slows down, due in part to the weak dollar, businesses in the Middle East are experiencing 5 percent growth, compared to 4 percent in the US, with the Middle East and Asia-Pacific becoming the two fastest growing regions the world. With the Middle East strategically positioned as a hub of global technology, ICT companies are now looking to capitalize on this attractive market with increased investment in the area. “The Middle East is one of the fastest growing ICT regions in the world, combining strong business acumen and substantial experience in developing growth. This year's Gitex Technology Week will bring together the biggest local and international companies to build on the current boom in the Middle East ICT market,” said Helal Saeed Al-Marri, director general of Dubai World Trade Center, organizer of Gitex Technology Week. According to the Global Insight report, the total ICT spend in the Middle East this year is predicted to be $73 billion, rising to more than $95 billion in the next three years. Saudi Arabia is the biggest regional investor spending over $20 billion per year in ICT investment. Leading ICT providers such as Dell, Symantec, and Sage Software will exhibit at Gitex Business Solutions on Oct. 19-23, 2008 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC), showcasing their latest technology to thousands of ICT and procurement executives, and hoping to generate further business within the Middle East. John Coulston, head of Marketing, Dell Middle East, said: “The Middle East market has never been stronger, and it is growing at a disproportionate rate to the established western market. That means that we not only have to be in a position to provide the right products, but we are also offering a lot of support to help these businesses grow.” “As one of the largest enterprise vendors at Gitex Technology Week, we will be demonstrating the strength of Dell's services capabilities, alongside new storage infrastructure solutions, and the latest virtualisation products,” he added. Gitex Business Solutions is an event within Gitex Technology Week for government, enterprise and SMB solution providers. It provides a focused platform for local and global organizations to increase the volume and value of business opportunities. __
