Lebanon’s 3rd Smartex Technology Exhibition Announced for April 10-13

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ArabNet Team
Apr 01 2019
Events
Lebanon’s 3rd Smartex Technology Exhibition Announced for April 10-13
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The Minister of Telecommunications Mohammad Choucair launched during a press conference held at the ministry headquarters the 3rd edition of the SmartEx exhibition, organized by MICE Company on 10-13 April at Sea Side Arena, "which we consider to be one of the cornerstones of our project in the development of the ICT sector.” Choucair greeted MICE for being determinant despite all the difficult conditions that the country has undergone. "This exhibition is being held annually because it is a message of faith in Lebanon."

Smartex is made possible with the participation of the chairman of the national investment promotion agency IDAL Nabil Itani, the Director General of Ogero Imad Kreidieh, the president of Lebanese Exhibitions & Conferences Association Elie Rizk, the Director General of Construction and Equipment at the Ministry of Telecommunication Naji Andraos, along with the head of Owner’s Board Naji Abboud, Advisor Nabil Yamout, and a group of chairmen and members of trade unions and companies involved in the exhibition.

Choucair delivered a speech in which he said, “I am pleased to welcome you in the Ministry of Telecommunications concerned with the development of the knowledge, information and communication technology sector.”

“In this meeting gathering the sector representatives, I promise that we will work hard with a strong public-private partnership to achieve all the objectives we aspire to. We, as a country and ministry must define the rules of action and respect all the requirements of the development of this vital and strategic sector. I am confident that the Lebanese private sector will be able to achieve the mission and be creative because that is its real field.”

He added, “We have huge potentials and competencies and we must invest it and benefit from it in the development of our country. This is a common responsibility between the public sector and private sector to bring Lebanon back to its leading position in the rest of the world.”

"We want SmartEx to become a regional and international platform for this sector," and to develop and expand to attract various local and international companies and the latest innovative  techniques in this domain  in order to be a destination from nearby and distant countries alike the GITEX exhibition in Dubai and the Mobile world congress conference in Barcelona.

He pointed out that "this sector is at the core of the priorities of the government and its President Saad Hariri. Therefore, we will make every effort to provide all the elements of its development, especially to work as quickly as possible to connect the fiber optic network to each house in Lebanon. We also seek with the circular No. 331 of Banque du Liban to provide all funding requirements and incentives for this vital and strategic sector. We call for the concerted efforts of all officials and concerned persons to provide all the requirements for the development of the sector properly.”

Imad Kreidieh then confirms in his speech that the Ministry of Telecommunications and Ogero have worked together to develop this sector in cooperation with the Lebanese private sector, and pointed out the huge efforts of Ministry of Telecommunications and Ogero to provide a section for Lebanon in the international telecommunication exhibition in Barcelona with the participation of leading Lebanese companies and emerging companies with the aim of opening global doors to them. “Before we define these companies abroad, it is important to introduce it to Lebanese citizens and the Arabs especially that they have an added value in the field of information technology; this is one of the main functions of the SmartEx exhibition."

Nabil Itani stressed that "the national investment promotion agency in Lebanon, which classifies this sector as one of the target sectors, is coordinating with the government's efforts to make Lebanon an information technology base in the region in light of its capabilities and facilities.  There is no doubt that providing infrastructure and convenient environment contributes in promoting the opportunities to make Lebanon a technology base.”

“We are the sector of exhibitions and conferences.” Elie Rizk commented, “This sector is looking forward to be revived by taking advantage of the prevailing political consensus, the ministerial statement, the vision of the government and the road map drawn up by President Saad Hariri to promote the economy and contribute to activate business tourism and the role of Lebanon in the region as a commercial center and a point of convergence between East and West , we thank Mr. Choucair for his support towards SmartEx since its 1st edition until today.”

He added, "The presence of Minister Choucair at the head of this ministry will enable it to modernize the infrastructure and provide Fiber Optics and 5G service in order to be able to attract international companies to take Lebanon as their regional center. SmartEx and all the other exhibitions we are organizing in Lebanon will be a platform not only for international companies but also for the Arab and foreign visitors so that we can support the companies in this sector and provide job opportunities for Lebanese youth and reduce brain drain.”