Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 27 January 2020: Kaaki Sports Group, a prominent sport player in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions, a leading event management company in the UAE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) -Cooperation Agreement yesterday, in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The agreement aims to improve cooperation and strengthen collaboration between both entities, in regards to organizing exhibitions, events and competitions of international repute in the field of e-sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The MoU-signing ceremony, which was held yesterday, during a press conference in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, also aspires to further enhance opportunities for joint cooperation between both companies for the purposes of supporting and developing the electronic sports sector in the Gulf and the Middle East while also advancing the position of the Kingdom, which is a thriving e-sports market that has achieved high-rankings worldwide.
Furthermore, through this agreement, Kaaki Sports Group and INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions agreed to develop and implement many activities related to electronic sports on a global level that reflect the importance of this pioneering sector and the progress that it has reached. The MoU also reinforces the position of Saudi Arabia as an ideal platform to hold and organize such events in the region and the world.
During the press conference, Eng. Anas Al Madani, Vice Chairman and Group CEO of INDEX Holding said, “Firstly, allow me to express my happiness in signing a cooperation agreement with Kaaki Sports Group, which is one of the most prominent leaders in the sports sector in the Gulf region and the Middle East. This agreement is only the beginning of a series of joint cooperation agreements that will not only bring the two companies closer together in the future, but also strengthen the bilateral and brotherly relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on so many levels.”
He added, “INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions is one of the leading companies in organizing events and activities for e-sports and video games in the MENA region. We have organized many events that are specialized in electronic games in the UAE and many countries around the world. As per many regional and global indicators, the e-sports’ sector is considered as one of the vital sectors that are constantly evolving. In 2017, the profits of the gaming industry in the Middle East reached nearly 3 billion US dollars. Moreover, experts expect that the region’s market for e-sports will increase to reach 4.4 billion US dollars in 2020. Therefore, through this cooperation, we are keen to be playing an integral part in the growth of the video and electronic games sector in the region and the world.”
From his side, Abdulmoti Abdulla Kaaki, Chairman of Kaaki Sports Group, said, “Signing this MoU between INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions and Kaaki Group is indeed an opportunity to exchange ideas and share richer experiences between the two companies.”
He added, “The Kaaki Sports Group aspires to transfer different and distinct global experiences to the entertainment and e-sports community in the Kingdom, which contributes in providing a beneficial and exceptional educational experience through a variety of annual agendas and events.”
Mr. Kaaki also stated, “The numbers clearly show the immense excitement and interest of the youth in engaging in an interactive environment and sharing competitive experiences.” He also said, “This cooperation agreement with INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions, will surely provide young people with the right opportunities to acquire and learn new skills via specialized global exhibitions, forums and workshops in the e-sports sector in a way that would enhance the participants’ growth and development. We also highly recognize the importance of exchanging and transferring knowledge and expertise with leaders in the gaming industry.”
He further added, “I extend my warmest regards to Prince Faisal bin Bandar, President of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronics and Intellectual Sports, for his great support for this innovative sector and we intend to work hard to add more such events and professional competitions in the future.”
He concluded, “The continuing practice of the intellectual and electronic sports games contribute to the overall development and improvement of the performance of the human mind, regardless of the mental capacity of the person.” He stressed, “These games provide the players with a unique opportunity to revitalize and enhance the human mind which would help in building a strong mental aptitude as well as a stronger community psychologically.”
It is worth mentioning that the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronics and Intellectual Sports, presided by Prince Faisal bin Bandar, highly supports this vital sector as it has organized a number of global competitions of such great repute. Additionally, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a unique potential and great appetite for e-sports, as about 21% of the youth in the Kingdom are actively playing video games on a weekly basis.
