ICT shines at ACITEX
The 12th annual Al-Ahram Computer and Information Technology Exhibition opened its doors last week. Eman Youssef paid a visit
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(L-R) Mansour, Ghoneim, Younis, Bahaaeddin, El-Saedi, Habib
photo: Mostafa El-Tohami
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Even with a sluggish economy, the information and communication technology (ICT) revolution was able to charge the 200 companies and numerous visitors to this year's Al-Ahram Computer and Information Technology Exhibition (ACITEX) with optimism for the future.
Inaugurated by Minister of Education Hussein Kamel Bahaaeddin, Minister of Industry Ali El-Saedi and Minister of Electricity Hassan Younis, the exhibition offered the latest IT high-tech including networking services, computer systems, hardware, electronic parts and components, software, programming systems, telecommunications, e- business, Internet services, office equipment and accessories.
The first day of the fair was reserved for professional and business visitors only, while the rest of the fair days were open to the general public, which was able to see first-hand recent technological breakthroughs.
Also attended by Ali Ghoneim, deputy chairman and general manager of Al-Ahram Organisation, Mohamed Youssef Habib, general director for classified ads and supervisor of the exhibition, and Medhat Mansour, general manager of Pyramids Advertising Agency, the event was held at the Cairo International Conference Centre.
"The fair was held against the backdrop of the global recession and a slowdown in the IT industry," observed El-Saedi. However, he explained, the fair and other indicators suggest that Egypt's IT industry is still growing rapidly, albeit at a lower rate than before.
ACITEX, a venue of annual encounters of producers and information technology users, this year again presented recognised foreign and home figures in the field of information technology, according to Ghoneim.
Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, El-Saedi expressed his enthusiasm at the industry's potential, saying that national ICT awareness has started to gain momentum.
"Economies go up and down, but technology just marches on," said Hussein Ghorab, the general manager of Al-Wadi Computer Services. Egypt's ICT industries logged growth of 17 per cent last year, despite a flagging local economy.
"We will continue to grow, but not as much as we would have if the state of the economy was better," Ghorab said.
In some respects, this year will still be promising for ICT in Egypt, despite global economic troubles, El-Saedi told the Weekly.
Ingi Ahmed, PR specialist, said ACITEX offered consumers more opportunities to choose among computer brands and overview new products, that include up-to-date computer hardware and software.
The exhibition was an opportunity to research solutions that effectively address ever-growing demands for ICT within a complex and evolving environment.
"It was the best bet for visitors to get the knowledge and develop the contacts which will enrich their job and their business," said Ehab Mahmoud, purchasing manager of Moon Stone, a computer supplies and components company.
"Egypt has high potential and is considered the biggest market in the Middle East," said Calvin Lin, sales specialist of Micro-Star, an international company for computers and Internet services.
