Bahrain is consolidating its position as the information technology hub of the region, with more international IT companies agreeing to open their regional headquarters in the kingdom.

Several agreements were signed at the Middle East informatics exhibition Gitex Dubai 2008 last week, it has emerged, according to a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

Sixteen government bodies and 11 private sector institutions from Bahrain took part in the five-day event, which was opened by UAE vice-president, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

An agreement was signed with American IT giant Cisco to expand its operations in Bahrain and to open a regional office in the kingdom within a month, said leader of the Bahrain delegation and eGovernment Agency chief executive Mohammed Al Qaed.

'We also discussed with Oracle certain measures to strengthen the strategic relationship,' he added.

'Similar agreements were also signed with the government of Victoria, Australia and the governments of Romania, Egypt, Jordan and Dubai, which will now encourage their private sector institutions to open offices in Bahrain.'

A British company, which deals in multi-media products for education, will also open its regional office in Bahrain shortly, Al Qaed revealed. - TradeArabia News Service