Muscat, Two Omani firms, Data Mount company (Green Mountain Data Company) and International Emerging Company (ETCO), today signed an agreement with Chinese group Alibaba in the field of cloud computing.

The agreement, signed in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, states that the two firms will manage, operate and market Alibaba cloud computing centre and services in the region. This will enhance cloud computing in the region and promote the Sultanate as a regional gateway for the services.

Under the agreement, Alibaba will invest $10 million during initial stages to provide focal systems and modern technologies, while Data Mount spends around $4 million in furnishing infrastructure equipment for the information centre.

The three parties will also provide data processing, cloud hosting and national cadre training on using Alibaba cloud programme. The project is expected to generate many direct and indirect jobs in the technical sector in the Sultanate.

The agreement was signed by, Business Vice-President of Alibaba, Selina Yuan, Abdulhakeem Amer al-Maslahi, CEO of Data Mount, and Abdulaziz Jafar, CEO of ETCO.

Selina said in a statement that Alibaba plans to deliver highly secured and reliable cloud services in Oman and the region at large through the two Omani firms (Data Mount and ETCO), which will join hands with Alibaba by managing and operating its data centre and hosting its cloud programme.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Ali Amer al-Shidhani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, and Aseela Salim al-Samsami, Investment Promotion Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion.

Source: Oman News Agency