Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 09 | Page 38

INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE SECURITY Surveillance, safety and security . . . and support for the channel Firas Jadalla, Regional Director – Middle East and Africa, Genetec Selling a complete security solution surely requires vendor support says Firas Jadalla, Regional Director – Middle East and Africa, Genetec. T he move to keep our cities and encompassing communities secure is no longer the responsibility of law enforcement agencies and authorities only. Today, everyone is tasked to do their bit in keeping the city safe, from various public organisations, local businesses, architects and city planners, to community-based groups and the public at large. In fact, the need to protect citizens and maintain public safety has become a top priority. Governments everywhere require advanced security solutions to effectively fight threats from organised crime, street gangs, terrorism and random acts of violence. A recent report from Research and Markets has thrown the spotlight on the continuing growth of the Middle East 38 region’s surveillance market and the key drivers that have influenced its upward trajectory; the growing construction industry, rising security concerns and IT spending. Countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar hold the majority of revenues generated by the industry and are considered the lead countries in terms of adoption of IP technology-based surveillance systems, which are also facing challenges such as implementation of government regulations, declining prices, growing consumer awareness, remote accessibility and video analytics. Across this industry, the IP video surveillance segment has shown aggressive growth over the analogue video surveillance segment. Among all verticals, the government and transportation sector has acquired the highest market revenues in the overall video surveillance market in the region. Industry analysts are quick to share key factors driving growth for this segment; the initiatives developed and implemented by the government are quite noticeable, as its efforts have seen the incorporation of newer technologies to maintain safety and security within the public segment. For one, municipalities and government entities are now investing in some of the most advanced security solutions to proactively assess, investigate, manage and mitigate high-risk situations. Key efforts are now also being made to ensure public road safety, which includes the assessment of accidents, monitoring Issue 09 INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS