Intel Corporation Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett today told an audience of government, business and technology leaders that Dubai has established itself as a model for the digital future He urged the emirate to lead the region’s integration into the world’s digital economy.
During a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Barrett acknowledged the vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, which gave rise to the “technopolis” of Dubai Internet City (DIC).
“The Internet City is a fantastic example of Dubai’s clear technology direction for the future,” Barrett said. “It exemplifies Dubai’s commitment to harness information technology (IT) for the competitiveness and well-being of the region.” Barrett also commended the country for creating Dubai Media City, which has emerged as the focal point of media activity in the region.
Barrett cited Dubai’s e-government Initiative, created to accelerate online public service transactions, as an excellent program that has firmly established Dubai’s expertise in the deployment, use and development of IT.
“Dubai’s technological knowledge and expertise is of tremendous value to other nations trying to forge a path into the digital future,” Barrett said. “The region’s long-term economic prosperity depends on its ability to fully participate in a marketplace where goods, services, communication and entertainment are created and delivered quickly by the Internet and advanced information technology. Dubai can assist by leading the way.”
Barrett called upon Dubai to promote regional cooperation and economic integration through the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with the goal of integrating with the world’s economies. He encouraged the region’s leaders to remove import duties, deregulate the telecommunications sector and promote private entrepreneurship.
To strengthen the region’s digital future, Barrett urged Dubai’s leaders to continue to make investments in computing and communications infrastructure. He also said that a strong educational foundation will create a skilled workforce knowledgeable about advanced technologies and prepared to compete in a global digital economy.
“The build-out of the Internet is accelerating,” Barrett said. “In the digital future, people will access the Internet any time and any place with devices and infrastructure that offer both computing and communications capabilities. Greater PC penetration around the globe and a ubiquitous Internet will create significant new marketplace opportunities for Dubai.
“Dubai’s success in this new digital economy depends on a workforce that is well educated, particularly in the disciplines of math and science,” Barrett said. “Education will excite the imaginations of your students and inspire tomorrow’s next great technology innovations.”
To demonstrate Intel’s commitment to the region’s future, Barrett visited the newly launched Hewlett Packard Solutions & Technology Center. The center will showcase the latest telecommunications solutions based on Intel Architecture, including the region’s first 64-bit-enabled search engine and machine translation applications.
Earlier in the year, Intel funded installation of the center’s first enterprise computing solution to use Oracle 9i Real Application Cluster (RAC) software and Intel Xeon processor-based servers; an eight-way Pentium III Xeon processor-based computing running Microsoft Windows Datacenter; and an Itanium-based server to showcase telecommunications solutions, as well as the first 64-bit applications developed locally by regional independent software vendors, including Sakhr Software, Emerging Technologies and Link.Net.
Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
