Minister for Information & Communications Technology, Timothy Masiu is in Dubai for the World Expo 2020 PNG Investment Forum.
Minister Masiu arrived in Dubai last weekend accompanied by Department Secretary, Steven Matainaho, NICTA CEO Kila Gulo-Vui, technical officers from the ICT ministerial sector and Foreign Affairs and International Trade and are scheduled for a lead of visits and events.
The Tuvalu pavilion organizing committee invited Minister Masiu and the government delegation to attend the Tuvalu National Day event on 9 January at Al Wasl, Expo Site Dubai, and later attended a ministerial briefing meeting with the PNG Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium based in Brussels, Joshua Kalinoe at the PNG pavilion.
Meanwhile, Secretary Matainaho visited the Romanian pavilion and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cluj IT Cluster represented by Vice President, Daniel Homorodean. The MoU will enable further development of ICT Cluster and ICT Incubation Centre development in PNG.
Secretary Matainaho toured the digitally progressive Estonian pavilion where he signed a MoU with Estonian technology company Cybernetica. The MoU will ensure the development of secured digital government programs driven by the government.
Minister Masiu and Secretary Matainaho with the government delegation visited the Al Yalais Government Transactions Centre at the Dubai Investment Park, for a guided tour followed by a private meeting between Minister Masiu and a representative from the UAE Chamber of Commerce.
Masiu departed Dubai for Abu Dhabi on Tuesday January 11, paying a courtesy call to His Excellency Abmed Ali Al Sayegh, the Minister for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
He will also pay a courtesy visit to 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.
Tomorrow, Wednesday 12 January, Minister Masiu will meet with a private investor then later PNG officials will meet with a block chain consultant, followed by a meeting with the CEO of the Jaheen Group of Companies.
Secretary Matainaho will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with a representative from Cisco Systems at the Cisco Grove located at the 2020 Expo site then attend a meeting with the Etisalat UAE Director.
On Thursday, 13th of January, Minister Masiu is scheduled to meet with Her Excellency, Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy, the Minister of State for International Cooperation, who is also the Director General of the Dubai Expo 2020, followed by a tour of the UAE pavilion.
PNG officials will later meet with officials from the Asian Broadcast Satellite while Minister Masiu is to visit and take a tour of the Israel pavilion.
On 14 January, Minister Masiu will be at the Business Connect Centre at the Expo site, where he is expected to attend the PNG Investment Forum themed “Eco-Tourism and Connectivity” and give his address.