When taken individually, the AGCC will expectedly race ahead with average PC penetration of around 14 per cent, against the projected penetration of 5.1 per cent of the Levant countries. Strong PC sales in the next three years will help the region to narrow the gap in PC penetration with the EU counterparts. Egypt is expected to see the highest growth in PC sales, a Madar Research Group study says.

It predicts that Lebanon and Jordan will be among the fastest adopters of PC technologies in Levant, with a PC penetration of 15.8 and 13.9 per cent respectively in 2008, against the regional average of seven per cent. PC sales in Iraq are predicted to see a quantum leap by 2008.

"A number of factors are fuelling the PC sector in the Middle East. For one, governments are strongly pushing e-government initiatives, a move that will make people IT-savvy in due course of time and several countries in the region are providing incentives for the development of an IT industry," said Pavan Gupta, general manager, eSys Technologies Middle East.