2009 ITEX & FOBEX PRESS RELEASE
Fairground Holdings will host the annual Information Technology Exhibition (ITEX) and Food and Beverage Exhibition (FOBEX) simultaneously from Thursday, the 30th of July to Saturday, the 1st of August 2009 in Boipuso and Ditshupo Halls respectively.
Mr. Keolebogile Pele Moleta, the Director General of BotswanaPost will officially open the two events on the 31st of July 2009 in a combined official opening and prize giving ceremony.
"The theme for the 2009 event is Productivity, Efficiency and Opportunities" said Mr. Mike Montshiwa, the Chief Executive Officer of Fairground Holdings.
He added that the advent of ICT was undoubtedly the panacea for today's business modus oparandi as well as social life, and its hallmarks are engraved in higher labour and total factor productivity. At the same time, there is need for strategies that create opportunities for the use of ICT in sectors of the economy where they have the greatest potential. Mr. Montshiwa encouraged companies to strengthen their competitiveness through improving business processes along the whole value chain using ICT as an enabler especially in this period of global recession, because efficiency reduces resource wastage.
"ICT opportunities will ultimately manifest themselves positively through GDP contribution, employment creation, market growth and global competitiveness", he said.
As has become tradition, Fairground Holdings, in conjunction with the Ministry of Science & Technology, Bezaspeaks.com, Botswana Innovation Hub and the Botswana Information Technology Society (BITS) will host yet another exciting ITEX ICT Conference on the 30th of July 2009. This Private-Public-Partnership is geared at reinforcing existing strategies; offer opportunities for public and private stakeholders to benchmark, learn, share experiences and networking thus strengthening Botswana's ICT policy implementation drive and increase global competitiveness of the country.
The Honourable Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Mrs. Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi will officially open the Conference which will feature reputable international and eminent ICT expert speakers, captains of the industry and thought leaders. Thematic areas of discussion will cover contemporary ICT issues such as e-Government, information security, innovation hub, mobile technologies and how SMMEs can take full advantage of ICT to gain competitive edge in the national and global marketplace.
Dr. Andile Ngcaba, a well known winner of numerous IT industry awards, a visionary technologist investor and Executive Chairman & Director of Dimension Data South Africa will deliver the keynote speech.
On the other hand, FOBEX will host exhibitors in the categories of Food & Beverage; Food Catering, Food Technology; Hospitality Services and Retail & Franchise.
Following the overwhelming success the maiden FOBEX Cultural Night in 2008, this year the event has attracted a mosaic of 11 regional and overseas countries. "We encourage the public to come and savour various traditional food, music, culture and dance", concluded Montshiwa.
This memorable night under the Botswana sky, as well as a family occasion will be held on Friday the 31st of July 2009.
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