Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has inaugurated the 24th session of the Cairo International Exhibition for Information and Communication Technology (Cairo ICT 2020), which this year is being held under the slogan “The Big Reset”.
The exhibition, which kicked off on Sunday, is being held at the Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC) in New Cairo.
Osama Kamal, CEO of Trade Fairs International, the organiser of the exhibition, expressed his happiness with the exhibition’s launch. This is particularly as the exhibition has become the main platform in which all institutions, bodies, and companies, compete to review their latest projects and technological solutions.
Kamal added that the exhibition’s current session is considered an exceptional session, in the full sense of the word. It is taking place at an important time, and will serve to highlight the significance of technology and the need to accelerate the shift away from a traditional lifestyle.
It is also particularly relevant due to the accelerated digital transformation caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which demonstrated that technology is no longer a luxury, but a cornerstone of our lives.
“We decided to choose the slogan for this year’s session of the exhibition to emphasise the current stage, in which we are starting a major and radical change at all levels,” he said, “People’s interests change, institutions’ interests change, consumer interests change, government interest changes, and all these changes are heralded by technology.”
He pointed out that companies’ interest in participating in the 24th session of Cairo ICT Exhibition is highlighted by the fact that, for the first time, all available spaces within the exhibition were booked about a month and a half before the exhibition’s scheduled date.
This pushed the company to offer the opportunity for remote participation, as this year the exhibition is being held for the first time using a hybrid system. This will see the combination of a physical and virtual presence, with some participants able to tune in online.
The exhibition’s preparatory meeting was attended by 10 of Egypt’s ministers, namely: Transportation; Tourism and Antiquities; Military Production; Trade and Industry; Agriculture; Environment; Finance; Public Enterprise Sector; and Civil Aviation.
The ministers praised the merger between the Cairo ICT exhibition and the Transport Technology Exhibition, and emphasised that technology plays a major role within the various government agencies.
This encourages everyone to participate in the exhibition, to review the latest technologies that are being presented.
For the seventh consecutive year, a financial technology and digital inclusion (PAFIX) conference and exhibition will be held, under the auspices of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), e-finance, and a number of banks and digital payment companies.
The conference will discuss issues related to financial inclusion, making and securing digital payments available. It will run alongside the 6th session of the Security Conference and Exhibition and the Innovation Arena, which will be held for the 5th consecutive year.
The opportunity is provided to the largest possible number of entrepreneurs and innovators to present their innovative projects, which will take place in parallel with Cairo ICT. The third session of the International Conference on Transport Technology Trans MEA will be held in partnership with the Ministry of Transport. The conference will witness the unveiling of many new investment projects in the field of transport and communications based on technology.
With regard to the precautionary measures that are being applied at the exhibition, Kamal confirmed that it was agreed with EIEC officials to implement all precautionary measures. This starts upon the participants’ entry into the halls through automatic sterilisation gates, with visitors also having their temperatures measured at the external gates.
Additionally to this, thermal cameras will be used alongside the distribution of face masks and disinfectants, and electronic check-in to prevent crowding at the gates and limit contact. The exhibition is also committed to periodically undertaking a full sterilisation, to ensure the health and safety of all visitors, participants and workers at the exhibition.
