DUBAI, 10 March — The Dubai World Trade Center, organizers of Gitex Cairo, are postponing the 4th edition of the exhibition, which was scheduled to take place April 3-6, 2002 at the Cairo International Conference Center. They claim that the global slowdown of the ICT sector is behind the postponement.
According to DWTC the decision to cancel the show for 2002 was announced following intensive consultations with representatives of international and multinational companies in the Information and Communications technology sectors. They asserted that these companies confirmed speculation that globally the ICT sector is facing challenges and recommended that DWTC postpone the event. No date in 2003 has as yet been announced for the exhibition.
“A combination of factors has caused us to re-evaluate the matter. The general slowdown of the economy in the Middle East combined with the overall economic situation created by the events of Sept. 11 was of prime concern. Furthermore, the situation in the region, in general, is not as comfortable as it was prior to Sept. 11,” said Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Assistant General Manager (Acting), Dubai World Trade Center.
“Key ICT players in the Middle East and North Africa markets have confirmed that the global indicators apply to this region as well. Furthermore, we have noted that, in general, exhibitions held over the past few months, particularly those specializing in IT, have witnessed a decline in participation. In addition, there has been a visible decrease in the range of new products and technologies being introduced in the market,” he added.
“We want to support the interests of our exhibitors, who are partners in the Gitex success story and they sent a clear message that the current economic situation does not present a favorable environment that will ensure the continued growth and development of Gitex Cairo,” said Al Hashemi.
The cancellation of the show was greeted with surprised dismay both in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Gitex is scheduled to hold its first exhibition in the Kingdom just two weeks after the now canceled dates for its Cairo exhibition. The question on everyone’s lips is, “If the global ICT slowdown and poor attendance at recent Gitex exhibitions was the cause of the cancellation of the Cairo event, then what are the prospects for Gitex Saudi Arabia?”
Just two weeks ago General Dynamics won the bid for the launching of a $55 million ICT project in Egypt, funded by USAID. Ericsson, Nilesoft and STME are just a few of the companies, which recently announced the positive development of their business activities in Egypt. After the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Egypt is considered to be the largest ICT market in the region.
The other IT exhibition organizer in Cairo, COMDEX, stated that they are moving strongly ahead with their event plans.
“COMDEX is fully committed to its established business-to-business exhibitions in Saudi Arabia and Egypt during 2002 — and to supporting the fast-growing IT sector in both countries” said COMDEX General Manager Annick Anthierens. “We have noted, with great pleasure, Intel’s recent announcement of 70 percent growth in Arab world sales value last year, as well as Microsoft Gulf’s anticipated 20 percent increase in first half 2002.”
Since 1998, COMDEX has made a commitment to serve the Middle East with regional editions of its annual US mega-event in Las Vegas. This year, the lead sponsors for COMDEX’s Egyptian and Saudi shows are companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Samsung. Anthierens felt that both COMDEX’s role and contribution are well understood by successful market leaders.
Asked by Arab News to comment on the cancellation of the 2002 Gitex Cairo exhibition in Egypt, by reason of poor IT market conditions, Anthierens said “I am surprised at this claim. The strong, sustained regional growth last year of Intel, Microsoft and many other leading multinationals is on public record. In any case, show organizers are not in business to blame the market, but to adapt to it and ideally to help lead it, in good times and bad. The long-term client relationships created through this commitment are the ones that endure.”
