Versatile Security Sweden announced it has partnered with Shifra Middle East to market its smart card management system vSEC:CMS in the region. The use of smart cards has gained increasing adoption and prominence throughout the Middle East, across a wide range of business and commercial organisations. According to a new research conducted by Frost and Sullivan, the value of the smart card market in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) is expected to reach $328.5 million by 2014, with the telecommunications industry representing more than 64 percent of the market. With the entry of vSEC:CMS, Versatile Security and Shifra hope to provide a smarter and more cost-efficient alternative to current offerings in the market. Smart card management systems are essential to implementing high security electronic identity and can be use to control access to a company’s facilities and information systems. “We are delighted to have been chosen by Versatile Security to introduce their market-leading smart card management systems throughout the Middle East,” said Ahmad Elkhatib, Managing Partner, Shifra. From Gulf Today