Communicant clarifies Intel's role in venture

The German partner of the recently launched Communicant project with Dubai yesterday clarified that Intel is only a partner at the Frankfurt-based branch of the company and not at the Dubai-based plant that will be built here in the future.

As per earlier announcements, Communicant will have a $1.3 billion plant in Germany and another in Dubai at around $1.7 billion.

Intel's participation in the Communicant project has generated confusion and debate among the IT sector as there were lots of rumours that Intel would have some participation or technology transfer arrangement.

Intel CEO Craig Barrett, steadfastly refused to comment on any such involvement during his recent visit to the UAE.

"Intel, the Government of Brandenburg and the Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (Dafza) are partners at the Germany-based Communicant. In Dubai, Communicant is the partner with Dafza," said Dr Wolfgang Furniss, Minister of Economics, State of Brandenburg, who was here for the launch of the Dubai Silicon Oasis.

When contacted yesterday by Gulf News, Intel officials confirmed their non-participation in the Dubai project.

"We are not part of the Dubai factory and we are shareholders in the Germany-based Commun-icant project. Usually our participation in such ownerships is run by Intel Venture Capital Group.

"We are shareholders in a range of around 100 companies and, in fact, Intel has about 15 to 20 chip factories spread across the world. Intel is a large player in the industry in general," they added.

"Dubai has been traditionally developing itself as a central point for the Middle East sales and marketing operations but we have not yet seen any manufacturing facility in the IT sector. The Dubai Silicon Oasis aims at attracting huge manufacturing players," they noted.

But Dr. Mohammed Al Zarouni, Dafza director general, said that Intel is present in the Dubai factory through its share ownership in Communicant.

"But the option is certainly left to the Communicant shareholders to financially contribute in the Dubai factory with the same amount of shares in the German plant," he explained.

"Apart from this option, we will definitely market the project and target the entry of more partners in it," he added.