The show brought under one roof giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Eriksson, as well as budding Arab startups such as Gaza-based business and child software company Modern Tech Corporation.

Microsoft geared up for the launch of its Windows 2003 operating system, which will be unveiled in the Gulf emirate on October 21 ahead of its US premiere due to the time zone difference, Abullatif Al-Mulla, Microsoft general manager for the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen and Pakistan, told

IBM is making a big push for the e-government market with the launch of a "unique" project with the Bahrain government based on its Linux operating system, said Bashar Kilani, the firm's Middle East and North Africa manager.

"This will be the first in the region," he told AFP.

Dubai also used the event to promote itself as the Middle East Information Technology hub by promoting its billion-dollar Silicon Oasis project in partnership with Intel and the German state of Brandenburg to create a state-of-the-art semi-conductor manufacturing and research facility.

"We want to put Dubai on the IT map very strongly," said Mohammad al-Zarouni, director general of Dubai airport free zone authority and the man picked to head the Silicon scheme.

He said Dubai was considering offering bigger incentives than other free trade zones, such as providing free land to attract companies to the facilities.

Japan's electronics major Panasonic also made a big splash with a new advertising campaign featuring Lebanese pop star Amal Hijazi who sang on stage and had the Gulf dignitaries swaying along.

GITEX 2003, the 23rd edition of the show, has attracted 26 percent more exhibitors than last year's 660 and 14 percent more companies than the 2002 figure of 1,520, according to the organisers, the Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC).

Telecommunications, computing, communications systems and applications, networking and Internet technologies are all featured in the trade fair running until October 23.

Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum inaugurated the event along with the emirate's deputy ruler, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

One of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has blazed an innovative trail setting up Internet and Media cities and engaging in numerous lavish projects in a bid to become the region's e-capital.

SPACE.WIRE