JCS embarks on preparations for METS '09

Online, October 1, 2009 (Newswire.com) - The Jordan Computers Society (JCS) has embarked on preparations to host the Middle East Technology Show (METS), whose 20th edition this year will be different through focus on prospects of job creation against the backdrop of the global financial crisis.

The annual event, the first of its kind in the region, will attract the participation of an array of leading experts in the ICT field. The event will take place on November 18-21 at Amman Grand Hyatt- Zara Expo, under the theme: 20 Years in Building the ICT Knowledge.

In a statement, the society said that METS '09 will witness this year a wide-scale local, Arab and international participation that underlines participants' interest in the Jordan market and their keenness to keep pace with developments in the Kingdom. Attendees will shed the light on sources of the next IT generation and discuss solutions workable for the public and private sectors in fields such as communications, health care, banking and finance, new media and academic and services centers.

A conference will be held on the sidelines of the show in which local and international experts will deliver key-note speeches discussing the developments in the sector and its future outlook. Presentation will include an introduction of the latest technologies in the ITC field and their benefits as far as governments and individuals are concerned.

METS is a major ICT show in the region and serves as an annual meeting venue for top executives, experts and job seekers in the industry. It also offers the right place for concluding commercial deals, exchanging expertise and building contacts with concerned organizations and decision makers.

JCS seeks to translate the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah into facts on the ground. As early as 1999, His Majesty directed concerned parties to draw up a realistic strategy and an action plan to develop the sector and enhance Jordan's status in the ICT industry at the regional and international levels. The sector contributes 12% of Jordan's GDP.

Head of the administrative body at JCS Ghazi Al-Qarout said that METS '09 will feature in its 20th edition a quality leap that will render this session distinct from the previous exhibitions. He said METS will this year seek to keep pace with the accelerating changes the sector is undergoing and discuss the latest innovations that have appeared in the sector.
Qarout said the holding of the show is timely, as it coincides with a situation where competition in the sector has become fierce, fueled by the pacing growth of the industry.

He noted that Jordan occupies an advanced position in the ICT sector, pointing in this context to the landmark deal involving Yahoo!, which has recently acquired the Amman-based maktoob.com. The acquisition, he said, underpins the remarkable progress the ICT sector has made and the talent of Jordanians working in the field, whose efforts have made the industry the fastest-growing and the most investment-attracting among other sectors.

Also on the sidelines of METS '09, Qarout noted, the society will in coordination with Jordanian universities honor students with distinguished graduation projects in the ICT and computer engineering field.

For his part, JCS's CEO Rafiq Daas commended the efforts exerted by the society's administration to render the 2009 edition of the show a success. He also voiced appreciation for the efforts by Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, undertaken by Minister Bassem Rousan and his staff who showed immense support of the ICT sector and cooperation with METS over the past years. He also highlighted the strategic partnership agreements singed with PR Launchers for media services and EJADA for economic projects, under which the partners will work to promote the show.

The number of participants in METS '09 is expected to exceed 75 local, regional and international companies.

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