Ammon News - AMMONNEWS— His Majesty King Abdullah II received on Wednesday the founders of Maktoob, Samih Toukan and Hussam Khoury, where he congratulated them on the accomplishment achieved by the company after it was acquired by Yahoo.

His Majesty voiced pride in this achievement which reflects progress achieved by Jordan's information technology sector, which contributes 12 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The King stressed the importance of continuing support to this sector as it has major contribution to growth and to supporting the national economy.

During the meeting, attended by Royal Court Chief Nasser Lozi and the King's Advisor Ayman Safadi, His Majesty conferred upon Samih Toukan and Hussam Khoury Al Hussein Medal for Distinguished Performance of the First Order.

His Majesty has given the information technology sector major attention over the past few years to make Jordan a regional center of IT and for international companies willing to invest in this sector in the Middle East.

The King valued efforts that have been exerted by the founders of Maktoob to make it one of the biggest electronic sites in the Arab world.

Talks during the meeting covered steps that could be taken to open new horizons for investment in the IT sector and develop Jordanian capabilities in the IT field.

Toukan and Khoury thanked His Majesty for his support to the IT sector and said their first meeting with Yahoo officials took place in the United States in an event attended by His Majesty a few years ago.

In a statement to Jordan Television, Toukan said the meeting with His Majesty came within the King's continued support to the IT sector in Jordan which succeeded in making major accomplishments over the past years.

He said the agreement signed with Yahoo reflects Jordan's capability to compete with major world companies operating in the IT sector.

Maktoob.com, established in 2000, is part of the Jordan-based Maktoob Group and the portal is accessed by over 16 million unique users in countries that include UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while Yahoo has 44 million users a month in the North Africa and Middle East region, the combination of which, will enable Yahoo access to millions of consumers in the Arab World.
(Petra)