Kuwait: November 16, 2015

For the third consecutive year, Microsoft was a key participant of the E-Government Forum (EGOV3). Microsoft was Platinum Sponsor of the forum, held from 15th to 17th November 2015 at Arraya Ballroom, Courtyard Marriott hotel, Kuwait.

During EGOV3, the Microsoft team showcased how Microsoft is helping clients plan for, endorse, and benefit from the trends affecting the way business is done and phenomena's like cloud computing, big data & analytics, mobility, and social networking alongside its technology partner Diyar United Company.  

Commenting on this participation, Mr. Charles Nahas, General Manager Microsoft Kuwait, said, "Microsoft's commitment to EGOV3 stems from our commitment to Kuwait, and the fact that we see ourselves as business enablers to the government, businesses, and individuals in the nation. EGOV3 is a trigger for many information technology initiatives and programs that will aid the Kuwaiti government's transformation plans into the digital era. At Microsoft, we are proud to participate with our best technical and leadership teams, are excited about our partnership with CAIT to make EGOV3 a success."

He further added: "This is by far one of the most notable IT event in Kuwait. We hope that we can make EGOV3 a knowledge sharing platform where we, as an industry, can exchange ideas and build connections. Our customers are the key drivers of our innovation, and it is our responsibility to showcase technology advances and educate each other on trends and industry directions."

During the Forum, Diyar United Company showcased its cloud computing services including disaster recovery, device management (on mobiles, tablets and PCs), and backup solutions using Microsoft platforms. Diyar also showcased a selection of its self-services kiosks using smart civil ID, which can enable innovative, safe, easy-to-use services for all segments of society.  Apart from the showcase, Diyar conducted a session focused on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) for E-Government Services and its benefits.

Bashar Atout, CEO, Diyar United Company said: "Along with Microsoft, we at Diyar United Company are very proud to be a part of this EGOV3 Forum for the third consecutive year. In order to adapt to changes of technologies' fast-paced environment, leaders of technological industries and entities must stay a step ahead. The forum is an event we look forward to every year as the value of knowledge gained cannot be taken for granted. Our sponsorship demonstrates our committed support to help develop and progress national information and communication security in Kuwait. We are looking forward to continue our successful partnership with the government of the state of Kuwait through identifying the trends that are evident in the IT industry now."

EGOV3 tracks Information management and Information Security which are the two essential ingredients of e-government programs and any automation practice. Microsoft has a strong legacy of robust technologies, consulting services, and business practices around information management and security to help governments and enterprises. Microsoft is proud that Kuwaiti government agencies have endorsed Microsoft technologies for e-government programs being developed by the Central Agency for Information Technology. A number of government departments in Kuwait already use Microsoft Cloud Azure and Office365 platform as their office collaboration and messaging systems. Though this step is aligned with future technology trends, it only came after rigorous due diligence exercise through which the government departments could ascertain the robustness and relevance of Microsoft's cloud offering, and that it negates any IT security uncertainties that have traditionally accompanied cloud implementations.

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About Microsoft Gulf
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. . Microsoft Gulf opened its Dubai-based headquarters in 1991. Microsoft Gulf today oversees Microsoft activities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Yemen. Microsoft Corporation's address on the World Wide Web is: www.microsoft.com Microsoft Middle East's Web site is www.microsoft.com/middleeast

© Press Release 2015