UNCTAD urges Tunisia to further invest in the software industry
3 December 2012
Read by 1587 persons
A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), entitled "Software Industry and Developing Countries", this week called on Tunisia to boost foreign investment in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry and adopt a forward-looking vision of the sector.
Tunisia "is also called upon to organize the structures in charge of the telecommunications sector and to ensure good coordination between them in order to boost exports," said Mongi Hamdi, head of the investment division at the organization, on Friday, November 30, during the presentation of the report in Tunis. He stressed Tunisia's promising future in software exports despite the limited volume of its exports in this area, which do not exceed 40 million dollars per year (1 dollar = 1.57 dinars).
This sector, he added, is among the engines of the economy. The UNCTAD report "Software Industry and Developing Countries" was published this week in English. It includes field studies and data on the software sector in several developing countries.
The report also highlights the developments recorded in this sector and some products that have experienced growth in recent years. The Organization invites structures active in the ICT field to consider successful experiences in developed countries as well as in other countries such as India.
The Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Mongi Marzouk, indicated that "despite the significant number of specialists in the software industry in Tunisia, only 17% of higher education graduates do not meet international offshoring standards in the ICT sector."
For Mr. Marzouk, the development of ICT in Tunisia requires coordination between the different structures and the introduction of structural reforms such as the creation of a "higher council for computing" which will be responsible for developing the State's policy in this area. He recalled the "Digital Tunisia" initiative aimed at promoting the software industry in Tunisia through the creation of 50,000 jobs over 5 years through investments of around 1,300 million dinars.
TAP
Businessnews.com.tn
Published on December 2, 2012.
Posted online on December 3, 2012.
Tunisia "is also called upon to organize the structures in charge of the telecommunications sector and to ensure good coordination between them in order to boost exports," said Mongi Hamdi, head of the investment division at the organization, on Friday, November 30, during the presentation of the report in Tunis. He stressed Tunisia's promising future in software exports despite the limited volume of its exports in this area, which do not exceed 40 million dollars per year (1 dollar = 1.57 dinars).
This sector, he added, is among the engines of the economy. The UNCTAD report "Software Industry and Developing Countries" was published this week in English. It includes field studies and data on the software sector in several developing countries.
The report also highlights the developments recorded in this sector and some products that have experienced growth in recent years. The Organization invites structures active in the ICT field to consider successful experiences in developed countries as well as in other countries such as India.
The Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Mongi Marzouk, indicated that "despite the significant number of specialists in the software industry in Tunisia, only 17% of higher education graduates do not meet international offshoring standards in the ICT sector."
For Mr. Marzouk, the development of ICT in Tunisia requires coordination between the different structures and the introduction of structural reforms such as the creation of a "higher council for computing" which will be responsible for developing the State's policy in this area. He recalled the "Digital Tunisia" initiative aimed at promoting the software industry in Tunisia through the creation of 50,000 jobs over 5 years through investments of around 1,300 million dinars.
TAP
Businessnews.com.tn
Published on December 2, 2012.
Posted online on December 3, 2012.
