Muscat: His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said inaugurated the two-day conference, which has gathered over 900 delegates, including decision-makers and experts from more than 200 telecom and tech companies representing 70 countries. The event is set to discuss developments in telecommunications infrastructure, international partnerships, and the potential for foreign investments in the Middle East’s tech sector.

A significant highlight will be the unveiling of Salalah’s new neutral data center, which is expected to reinforce the city’s growing importance as a global telecom link. Positioned at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe, Salalah is rapidly becoming the Middle East’s second most connected city via submarine cables, as confirmed by Ghassan bin Khamis Al Hashar, Omantel’s Chief Financial Officer. Al Hashar praised Omantel’s strides in submarine cable investments, data centers, and technology partnerships, emphasizing the company’s dedication to enhancing Salalah’s digital infrastructure.

Eng. Yasser bin Redha Al Lawati, General Manager of Marketing and Local Business at Zain Omantel International, highlighted the conference’s role in supporting the global telecommunications industry.

The conference’s agenda includes two specialized sessions: Google will lead a session on the mechanics of global Internet connectivity through submarine cables, while Amazon will discuss innovations in cloud computing and artificial intelligence.