Jordan 3rd Forum for Information and Communication Technology (JFICT) concluded on Wednesday with His Majesty King Abdullah calling on the government and private sector to initiate a fund that would nurture homegrown innovation, while building a culture of optimism and hope.



King Abdullah also announced the launch of the Jordan Entrepreneurship Centre, established with the cooperation of the MIT Entrepreneurship Centre in the US, and pledged to follow up on its work closely.



Speaking during the forum's closing session, King Abdullah called for exerting more efforts and to build on what has been achieved in ICT field.



“In order to build a system which enables the Jordanian information industry to stay on the edge of innovation, we must back our youth because their aspirations today will create the Jordan of tomorrow,” the King said.



"Technological abilities should be accompanied by developing administrative skills because it is not technology only what we want to export, but a culture of managerial know-how and ability to accomplish tasks," King Abdullah said.



"The strategic agreements the country has concluded with Microsoft and Cisco Systems and with Singapore and Ireland should prove our ability to develop modern business culture inside the government and the private sector alike," the King added. "We are not after technology itself but after employing it to make a difference in our community," said His Majesty the King.



More than 600 international, regional and local ICT leaders met during the forum and exchanged views on building a better future for ICT field in Jordan and the region.