COMEX: Oman’s official technology event, is coming in its 31st edition this year from 23rd to 25th of May 2022 at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, Muscat.
This event is one of the leading exhibitions to highlight the digital transformation of governments through hosting a pavilion for ministries, authorities, and government companies to participate and showcase their achievements and opportunities for innovation in technology and their steps towards Oman Vision 2040. It is considered to be one of Oman’s initiatives to provide the most engaging and networking platform for youth talent development leaders, learning heads, human resources and business leaders to bridge the gaps and find solutions in several areas of digital eco system; such as AI, cybersecurity, IoT, innovation, drones, future mobility, blockchain, coding and more which correspond to the Oman Vision 2040 and Muscat’s digital capital goals.
It is worth mentioning that the Council of Arab Ministers for Communications and Information has chosen Muscat to be the Arab Digital Capital for 2022. In his interview; H.H. Eng. Said Bin Hamoud Al Maawali, minister of transport, communications and information technology, said that Muscat’s candidacy file was presented under the theme ‘Digital Future that Generates Opportunities’, seeking to make a mark on the digitalization of the Arab world with three main axes, which are cybersecurity, digital capabilities development, and digital innovation. Dr. Saud bin Humaid Al Shuaili, head of the ministry of transport, communications, and information technology's national space program, said that the vision for this whole year is to empower youth through organizing digital and technical events at the local and Arab country levels. Government institutions and private sectors are all included in the process of highlighting a digital Muscat.
Weam Al Kindi, project assistant for COMEX stated, “The selection of Muscat as the Arab Digital Capital for 2022 does not only emphasize the existing digital capabilities, but also further contributes to the city’s and Oman’s efforts in achieving digital transformation incorporating MTCIT Strategy for 5 years leading into the Vision 2040 overall Objectives. COMEX being the largest official lineup in Oman for government entities and enterprise companies showcasing their products, services and innovation in ICT, is the perfect place for technology buyers and decision makers from public sectors, especially the sectors highlighted for growth in Oman Vision 2040, to attend and collectively achieve the common vision of a better, integrated and digital future.”
The technology companies will showcase their products, services, and innovations in ICT in the Experiential Zone where visitors can try the products and have a great experience at the exhibition. The Experiential Zone offers many technological solutions including AI, AR/VR/MR, robotics, drones, coding, smart home, cyber security hackathon, gaming zone, and HI-Tech printing. It is the perfect place for technology companies to promote their innovations to investors as well as to buyers and decision makers from public and private sectors.
Under the integrated school system, the exhibition will provide a School STEM Platform for students from all schools in Oman (international, government and private) coordinated by the information and communication technology and science faculty/department to display school projects in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math empowered with telecom or ICT innovations. The platform will provide students with an opportunity to present their skills in design, coding, robotics, science, technology, engineering, maths and other areas associated.
Comex will also provide a School’s X Platform for students from all schools where they will share their experiences of how they are using Ed tech, various tools like zoom, youtube, Facebook live, and recorded videos, for learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This platform will help the students become confident speakers on all aspects of ICT and telecoms subject matter. The aim of Comex is to integrate schools and education system with the technology industry of Oman.
Aspiring to transform Oman by empowering its people through various technological advances made possible by AI, COMEX AI will be held in 24th and 25th of May. It is an international conference designed to ensure that the national vision of AI adaptation in government and corporate sectors is achieved. The conference will examine the potential of AI across various industries in one empowering agenda with the goal of providing a platform for various stakeholders such as ministries, research institutions, and industry experts to share current market trends, technological advancements, and challenges of AI in the digital transformation of different industries.
The exhibition is also holding the only and biggest Awards for Excellence in Technology ceremony in 24th of May 2022, starting with the idea of appreciating and recognizing the ministries and companies (government and private) that have made a big difference in digital transformation in Oman. The Awards for Excellence in technology include categories such as: artificial intelligence, 3D painting, IoT, machine learning, big data, and so many others. The award winners will be announced at the awards ceremony, which will be attended by a number of government officials and other senior dignitaries.
Comex is a hybrid event, with a physical exhibition and some virtual elements. The virtual exhibition with Realtime Physics will allow people to feel like they are physically at the event by experiencing 3D environments and creating their own personal avatar to explore across different pavilions. Companies can showcase their products virtually by choosing a virtual booth at the exhibition. These companies will have the feature to know about their most popular posters and how many people have viewed their products by following up the visitor’s engagement with their booth.
