Dubai, UAE, 31^st December 2002

Comtrust, the e-solutions business unit of Etisalat presented to UAE’s IT & e-commerce students this week, when high ranking officials from the company participated in panel discussions and seminar programs at recent HCT e-commerce events. Attendees at the events included representatives from local government, the e-commerce industry and other HCT institutions.

In a bid to promote the role of e-commerce among the next generation of IT professionals, Comtrust highlighted the current state of the regional market and the future issues facing the digital economy. As part of Comtrust’s extensive educational program, spokespeople from the business unit participated in the E-ducation Day at the HCT Women’s Colleges in Abu Dhabi, where they presented to 150 students and at the Emerging E-Security Solutions in Al Ain where over 250 attendees were present.

Participating in the panel discussion in Abu Dhabi was Ahmad Abdul Karim Julfar, General Manager of Comtrust, where he took the opportunity to discuss such pressing issues as e-commerce security and the role of an integrated e-commerce strategy in seizing the market opportunities that exist today.

As a pioneer in e-business solutions in the Middle East, Comtrust helps businesses to understand how the Internet affects their organizations, and how they can capitalize on emerging opportunities. By implementing the company’s Internet payment gateway and eHosting solutions, Comtrust has facilitated numerous e-commerce initiatives in the country including Department of Finance – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Traffic Police, Abu Dhabi Traffic Police, Abu Dhabi Duty Free to name a few.

Mr. Ahmad Abdul Karim Julfar commented, “Education, whether it be of the market or the next generation of IT graduates, has a vital role to play in the development of e-commerce in the region. Over the past three years, we have seen, and been part of, significant developments and successes in e-commerce initiatives in the Middle East, however there is still huge untapped potential in this market. For example, the level of authorized online transactions through Comtrust’s Internet payment gateway solutions has increased by 450% in 2002 compared with 2001, and we are expecting similar growth in the future."

He continued, “However, there still remain barriers to further growth in the future. Central to this are the security fears of consumers, merchants and banks and the penetration of the Internet throughout the Gulf market. It is imperative that we continue to educate the market into the opportunities of the digital economy and the solutions available to prevent any misuse of e-commerce properties by corrupt individuals. Being able to present to the students of the HCT Women’s College in Abu Dhabi is the perfect platform to promote the message of e-commerce, as the attending audience represents the future of our industry in the UAE.”

Similarly, yesterday a Comtrust spokesperson presented to graduates at the HCT Women’s College in Al Ain, demonstrating the strength of the e-commerce market in the UAE and the role of Comtrust in providing the environment in which to succeed in the digital economy. Students from the college had the opportunity to discuss the responsibility of Internet security solutions in identifying and authorizing users in online transactions with industry leading spokespeople in the field of e-solutions and observe the function of the Internet in business strategies throughout the Middle East.