ABU DHABI, 6 Dec, 04 (WAM) - "Under the Patronage of Lt. General ShaikhMohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, ADWEA and UNDP areorganising the "Information and Communication Technology for SustainableDevelopment" Conference in Abu Dhabi on December 12 & 13.

Abdulla Al Ahbabi, Director of Business Support at ,ADWEA, and Chairmanof the Organizing Committee for the conference, announced details of theconference and added that the conference is a clear example of the visionof Shaikh Dhiyab Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADWEA about the importanceof Information Technology and its application to different phases of NationalDevelopment.

Information Technology is the basis for continuous and sustainable developmentprocesses as seen by many government and nongovernment organizationsall over the world, especially in light of the fast technological developmentthat we are witnessing,' he said, according to a statement from ADWEA.

AI Ahbabi also mentioned that several IT Ministers from the Arabworld will be attending the conference in addition to many internationaland Arab experts to discuss the following topics: - The Arab Knowledgeand Information Society, the ICT education process, Service to Citizens& Enterprises, ' The Partnership between Public and Private Sectors,and Creating job opportunities.

In addition to the above panel sessions there will be an open discussionsession about sustainable development in a global world.

Al Ahbabi highlighted the importance of such conferencesin creating awareness about the development challenges this part ofthe world is facing. He sees this conference as a great opportunity toexchange experiences among the participants and to network in order tomaximize the benefit of individual practice.

Dr. Najat Rochdi, the Regional Manager for ICTDAR (Information & CommunicationTechnology for Development in the Arab Region), one of the UNDP programs,said" The interaction between sustainable development and lCT has becomea clear mark of the development strategies and future plans for moderncountries and the third world." Dr. Rochdi also added that by hostingthis conference, Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as one of the internationalcities interested in UN development programs related to technology andits application. " I highly appreciate the direct support of ShaikhMohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince being the Patron ofthe conference and Sheikh Diab Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADWEAfor his initiative in hosting this conference and his personal attentionto ensuring the success of the conference", said Dr. Rochdi.

ADWEA has always been a pioneer in supporting IT initiatives and isthe first to use advanced technology in its operation.

ADWEA has invested heavily in building its physical and human resourcesin the IT field, the statement said.