CommerceNet Singapore (CNSG)

CommerceNet Singapore (CNSG) is invited to explore the possibility of supporting a global technology park in the industrial belt of Saudi Arabia. The project is envisaged to be connected and highly integrated to other emerging technology hubs in Asia Pacific Region as well as Europe and North America.

CNSG is currently looking to expand its network into the Middle East, particularly the Gulf area. CNSG is positioned to support specific facilities that promotes technology development and promotion. As an initial catalyst, CNSG together with EC Gateway, have made inquiries into working long term with the management of the Dhahran International Exhibition Center for the purpose of holding ITCN Saudi Arabia in the coming years. Other possibilities include service niche markets in the industrial, eHealth and IT sectors.

On the proposed CNSG support for a global technology park, CNSG will network together key players to promote the park that will act as catalysts for Next Generation Internet or Internet II pilots and applications. “We are also seeking to establish a hub to hub relationship with a high-tech park, preferably in Dammam, to connect with Cyberport Hong Kong, OneNorth Singapore, and the Multi Media Super Corridor (MSC) Malaysia and other locations,” said Mr. Jeh Shyan Wong. “We are open to a comprehensive masterplan to create these connected high-tech parks throughout the world, which in the future will include locations in Barcelona, Frankfurt, Boston and Sydney.”

“We are seriously looking at Dammam because it has a very good infrastructure,” explained Mr. Wong. “It is also 'less noisy' than Riyadh. What I mean by that is when companies make a move here people will pay attention. It is also the base of the petroleum and petrochemical industry and any high-tech park would certainly be serving such industries.”

CNSG welcomes the initiative for a high-tech park in Dammam that would be to give Saudi Arabia a Research and Development center comparable to that of the Asian Tigers. It is expected that a high-tech park in the Kingdom would attract not only technology companies, international venture capital especially East Asian funds, but also bring in private Saudi capital that is currently invested abroad. CNSG is of the opinion that in addition to the connectivity infrastructure, especially fiber optic, airline connectivity would need to be improved and other issues like visas and human resource support would have to be sorted-out.

“We envision that such a high technology park would enable the free flow of talents between Asia and the Middle East,” said Mr. Wong. “Also, once the framework was laid for grid computing this would give the Kingdom unparalleled processing power in the region. Hub to hub connectivity will enable the Kingdom to shift vast amounts of data and enable many other emerging technological development opportunities. However, various kinds of support will be needed from the Saudi government and private sector and window period is short. We are currently working with local parties that had discussed with us, to advise on preliminary studies and site selection.” While CNSG is advising on several options for the high-tech park in the Kingdom, other possible sites in other countries in the region are not ignored.

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