Redlands, California—April 19, 2011—Utility companies in the Middle East and Africa now have a local source for sharing ideas, success stories, and information about Esri technology. The first Middle East and Africa Utility User Group held its inaugural meeting March 15–16, 2011, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event was hosted by Esri along with Esri partners GISTEC and Khatib & Alami.

The community of utility professionals formed to discuss the best ways to meet daily challenges and learn how geographic information system (GIS) applications support asset management, design, regulatory requirements and compliance, mobile solutions, network safety, and reliability.

“The Middle East and Africa Utility User Group will become a valuable resource for the many Esri utility users in these regions,” said Atif Karrani, GIS director for Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, UAE.

Karrani was elected president of the group. Majid Hussain Mohd, deputy senior manager from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, UAE, was elected vice president.

“Our goal is to ensure that members build a strong community to provide consolidated feedback to Esri and its partners on solution offerings,” Mohd said.

Utility companies managing electricity, gas, water, wastewater, storm water, and district heating networks in the Middle East and Africa are encouraged to join the group today by sending an e‑mail to Email Contact. 

About Esri

Since 1969, Esri has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS technology, Esri software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. Esri applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world’s mapping and spatial analysis. Esri is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at esri.com/news.

Esri, the Esri globe logo, GIS by Esri, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners. 

Press Information
Contact: Jessica Wyland, Esri
Tel.: 909-793-2853, extension 1-3345
E-mail: Email Contact