Media Release – 10th January 2022
Minister for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Hon. Timothy Masiu is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the invitation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Soroi Eoe and will deliver the Keynote Address at the World Expo 2020 PNG Investment Forum themed “Eco-Tourism and Connectivity – Living in Balance with Nature” to be held at the PNG pavilion on 14 January 2022.
Minister Masiu arrived on Saturday 7th January 2022 and is accompanied by the Department of ICT Secretary Steven Matainaho, NICTA CEO Kila Gulo-Vui, and technical officers from the ICT ministerial sector, and Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
On the invitation of the Tuvalu pavilion organizing committee, Minister Masiu and the government delegation attended the Tuvalu National Day event on 9th January 2022 at Al Wasl, Expo Site Dubai, and later met with the PNG Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium based in Brussels H.E Joshua Kalinoe at the PNG pavilion for a ministerial briefing.
After the ministerial briefing, Secretary Matainaho visited the Romanian pavilion and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cluj IT Cluster, which was represented by Vice President Daniel Homorodean.
Mr Matainaho was accompanied by his Deputy Secretary Russell Woruba, Principal Legal Counsel Oala Moi, and Janet Raula-Ila from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
The MOU will enable further development of ICT Cluster and ICT Incubation Center development in Papua New Guinea.
Secretary Matainaho also toured the digitally progressive Estonian pavilion where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Estonian technology company Cybernetica.
Cybernetica was represented by its Head of Business Development, Kevin Tammearu.
The MOU will enable further development of secured digital government programs driven by the government. On 10th January 2022, Minister Masiu and Secretary Matainaho and the government delegation will visit the Al Yalais Government Transactions Center at the Dubai Investment Park, for a guided tour.
This will be followed by a private meeting between Minister Masiu and a representative from the UAE Chamber of Commerce.
Minister Masiu will depart Dubai for Abu Dhabi, where he will pay a courtesy call on His Excellency Abmed Ali Al Sayegh, the Minister for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
While in Abu Dhabi, Minister Masiu will also pay a courtesy call on his counterpart minister, His Excellency Omar bin Sultan, the Minister for State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.
The final stop for Minister Masiu’s engagement while he is in Abu Dhabi, will be at the Telecommunication & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). The TDRA is the ICT regulator in the UAE.
For this meeting, Minister Masiu will be accompanied by Ambassador Kalinoe, Secretary Steven Matainaho, and NICTA CEO Kila Gulo-Vui.
On 12th January 2022, Minister Masiu will meet with a private investor. Later in the day, PNG officials will meet with a blockchain consultant, to be followed by a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Jaheen Group of Companies.
In the afternoon, Secretary Matainaho will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with a representative from Cisco Systems at the Cisco Grove located at the 2020 Expo site. He will end the day by attending a meeting with the Etisalat UAE Director.
On 13th January 2022, Minister Masiu is scheduled to meet with Her Excellency Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy, the Minister of State for International Cooperation. Her Excellency is also the Director General of the Dubai Expo 2020. Minister Masiu will then take a tour of the UAE pavilion.
Later in the morning, PNG officials will meet with officials from the Asian Broadcast Satellite. In the afternoon, Minister Masiu is scheduled to visit and take a tour of the Israel pavilion.
On 14th January 2022, Minister Masiu will be at the Business Connect Center at the Expo site, where he is scheduled to attend the PNG Investment Forum themed “Eco-Tourism and Connectivity” and give his Keynote Address.
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