Simultaneously with "WSA Mobile Content":

Abu Dhabi Hosts the 5th GAID Global Forum in December

GAID Chairman: The conference will unveil the new initiative "MDG eNabler"


ABU DHABI --- December 1, 2010 --- Abu Dhabi will host the 5th Annual Forum of the United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID), on 5-6 December, 2010, in the presence of Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of GAID, with high-level participation from governments, the private sector, NGOs, international organizations, academia, and major global companies from different parts of the world. The Forum will also be attended by major iconic civil society members, sitting side by side with VIPs representing different countries involved in development, information and communication technology (ICT) issues, as well as representatives of relevant UN organizations.

The GAID Forum, organized and sponsored by Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC), and held concurrently with the "World Summit Award - Mobile Content", will hold discussions about the role of ICT in achieving the Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015, which include eradicating extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality rates, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development.

Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of GAID, said, " It gives me great pleasure to announce at this UNGAID annual meeting in Abu-Dhabi the launch of the MDG eNABLER which was invented by our team of experts. This virtual engine will act like a GPS for economic development and will be available for free use by all developing countries to advance the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal".

The Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) was launched in 2006 as a global platform for putting the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) into effect, and promoting the use of ICT to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In his speech during the top-level GAID meeting held last September, in the presence of 80 governmental officials, global IT executives and senior UN officials, the UN Secretary-General, who is expected to attend the Forum in Abu Dhabi, commended the digital initiative, the MDGs eNabler, which aims at promoting the development goals. The eNabler will act as a “one-stop shop” for policy makers, planners, project managers, and development workers involved in the implementation of national development programs and strategies.

The eNabler is a set of web-based tools and resources designed to assist all users worldwide in their work to advance and accelerate MDGs nationally. It comprises a set of creative components including an ICT Solution Matrix, which is a Strategic Planner, the Meta Portal (Portal of Portals) in ICT for MDG, simulators and games, and Compendium of Excellence.

ABOUT ABU DHABI SYSTEMS & INFORMATION CENTRE
The Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre (ADSIC) was created as a committee in October 2005 by Executive Council Decree No. 33, issued by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and established as a centre in 2008 by Law No. 18. ADSIC’s role is to develop, drive, and support various initiatives within the Government to transform government services in the Emirate. A key objective of this transformation is to establish a modern, efficient, and citizen-centric e-Government platform to match the best in the world.
The Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre Mandate
The Centre is the governmental organization that is responsible for the IT agenda of the Emirate and has the authority to:
• Supervise the implementation of the e-Government program in Abu Dhabi Government entities
• Sponsor initiatives and mature assets and competencies that it deems of critical importance for the e-Government project
• Propose policies and technology standards for government and relevant entities to achieve overall quality in reaching the highest levels of efficiency, confidentiality, and safety in the e-Government project
• Issue rules and guidelines regarding the implementation of IT policies and technical specifications, and communicate them to all government entities
• Submit the guidelines to the Council regarding the IT sector and the e-Government

For more information, please contact:
Batoul Al Husseini
Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre
Corporate PR Manager
P.O. Box: 3133
Tel: 02- 6961660; Fax: 02 6717333
E-mail: pr@adsic.abudhabi.ae
Web site: www.abudhabi.ae