Abu Dhabi, 11 February 2008 (KRG)
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) made its debut at the prestigious Government Leaders Forum in Abu Dhabi in late January, joining prominent figures from politics, business, education and the NGO sector to exchange experiences and perspectives and discuss issues common to the Middle East and North Africa region.During the forum, the KRG’s Director General of IT, Botan Mahmoud Osman, discussed the KRG’s e-Government and ICT initiatives with Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft. They also discussed the establishment of a Microsoft Iraq Office in the Kurdistan Region and the possibility of aid from the Gates Foundation to Kurdistan. Assurances were given for Microsoft’s support for the KRG’s Department of IT in achieving its goals.Mr Osman said: “It was an important and fruitful mission, KRG’s representation at such an event is a significant step towards the development of our region. It was an honour to meet Bill Gates and share our ideas to enhance ICT in Iraq as a whole and the Kurdistan Region in particular.”This was the first time that a regional government had been invited to the event. During his keynote speech, the Microsoft chairman highlighted the transformative power of education and the critical role played by public-private partnerships and information and communication technology (ICT) to create a strong, vibrant economy across the region."Technology has touched millions of lives and played a significant role in fostering economic development across the (Middle East) region," Mr Gates said. "Microsoft's goal is to work in close partnership with governments and partner organisations to help them use technology to accelerate social and economic development."The forum was hosted under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and was attended by Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy of the UAE.Regarding KRG’s ICT development Mr Osman said: “The Department of IT pledges to bring together experiences from around the globe and apply them to the Kurdistan Region, and through this create the right policies and environment for ICT development, which will focus on delivering the best services for our citizens”
