Annual Conference 2005
ABFICT and World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)
The Forum and Bridging the Digital Divide
ABFICT: A Communication Channel between different Stakeholders
ABFICT and World Summit on
Information Society (WSIS)
WSIS provides sound opportunities for the International society to handle and resolve the Information Society problems. It guarantees the best use of new technologies which ends up in benefiting all the sectors of a society. Both the preparatory and the summit meetings in phase two are a mutual responsibility for all stakeholders and since ABFICT represents the Arab Businessmen in the ICT field, it took the responsibility to coordinate, present and transfer a clear and thorough vision in order to reflect the Arab reality and its will to achieve better status on the International arena.
ABFICT was able, through its active participation in the Arab Workgroup for the preparation of the WSIS, to provide valuable support reflecting the Arab business vision concerning issues like the digital divide, e-content, Internet governance and financing issues. ABFCT was a right arm thereby in drafting the Arab Action Plan which mirrors all concerns raised during the second phase of the Summit .
On another level, ABFICT took the pioneering step to represent the Arab business sector in the International events and Arab league meetings as well, in the different governmental and ITU meetings.
Eng. Omran, co-chairman of ABFICT addressed the attendees of the opening session of the first phase of the summit (Geneva 10-12 Dec, 03) as a Keynote speaker on behalf of the International business sector as a whole and not only the Arab business sector.
In recognition of the important role that ABFICT played, the ITU had selected ABFICT to attend all the council meetings as an observer. Besides the cooperation and the coordination with the different international entities for instance: ESCWA & ICC & Global Business Dialogue on e- Commerce.
The Forum and Bridging the
Digital Divide
An information and communication gap is now increasing between the different parts of the world and even among each country and its rural areas. ABFICT members realized and comprehended the fact and offered some strategic solutions to assist bridging this gap by providing help in expanding and developing the Arab market in the ICT field; spreading out the usage and the utilization of the Arab products and services in the ICT field; and finally assist in implementing the Geneva action plan adopted in the first phase of the summit;
In that context, ABFICT role did not stop at determining aspects of development, but it moved into practical action and suggested the following projects:
1. Arab Industrial Information Network.
2. Initiating a hypothetical Tele Offices for SMEs to spread their activities in the other Arab countries.
3. Arab Distant Learning Academy .
4. Developing an Arab e-illiteracy certificate.
5. Network Access Points (NAP)
6. Setting Arab Ethical Standards for ICT Field.
7. Arab Satellite Telephony Network.
ABFICT: A Communication Channel
between different Stakeholders:
It is well known that the ICT field is characterized by being a multi-stakeholder market where governments, civil society and private sector work hand in hand to develop such market and achieve the best benefit from. ABFICT realized this fact early enough and was able through the past three years to play an anchor role mediating the way between different stakeholders trying to reach consensus upon the problematic issues raised at different times.
ABFICT has well recognized the important role that the SMEs can play in the economies of the Arab countries and how corporations between them could enhance the labor and employment markets. Therefore, ABFICT studied how to remove the barriers facing the SMEs and assist in expanding their activities throughout he Arab continent.
2003-2004 activities
ABFICT and World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)
The Forum and Bridging the Digital Divide
ABFICT: A Communication Channel between different Stakeholders
The Forum and Bridging the Digital Divide
ABFICT: A Communication Channel between different Stakeholders
(1) Increasing the number of ABFICT members and supporting Pan Arab Business Partnership:
Issued periodically by the ABFICT executive team and includes up to date news of the ICT scene in the Arab world.
- Arab ICT companies directory:
The ABFICT executive team has an on going project of creating and updating a database of Arab companies working in the field of communication and Information technology. The first issue of the directory was distributed during the Regional Pan Arab conference on WSIS held in the premises of the League of Arab States 16th - 18th June 2003.
- Networking events and meetings:
ABFICT holds networking meetings and events with the purpose of availing the opportunity for ICT companies representatives to meet and tackle mutual investment opportunities.
ABFICT holds an annual conference during the first quarter of the year. The first was held in Cairo in January 2003, the second was held in Cairo parallel to Telecom Africa May 2004
(2) Presenting the Arab ICT Business Community in regional and International events:
- Sixth preparatory meeting held in Cairo June 2003.
- Fifth preparatory meeting held in Cairo April 2003.
- Fourth preparatory meeting held in Beirut February 2003.
- Third preparatory meeting held in Cairo September 2002.
- Egypt 's International Economic Forum in Cairo May 2002
- ABFICT Co-Chairmen and Executive Manager will participate in the following conferences as representatives of the Arab ICT Business Sector:
(3) Creating and supporting communication channels between governmental bodies and business sectors:
(4) Maintaining & following up the activities of the work groups:
- Studying and implementing Arab ICT regional projects.
- Arab e-Learning Academy.
- Arab ICT Directory.
- Regional e-Trust Project.
- Founding an e-Business work Group.
(5) Regional projects / studies:
- Conducting regional ICT related Studies:
- ABFICT was also appointed by the Executive bureau of the Arab ICT ministers to conduct a study about ?Regional Fiber Optic Network optimization.
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