El ITC ayudará a Bangladesh a impulsar la participación en el mercado de su sector de la TI (en)
(Geneva) A USD 1.9 million project to building linkages between information technology (IT) & IT enabled services (ITES) companies in Bangladesh and clients in Europe was launched in Dhaka on 6 June 2014. The three-year project, a joint integrated programme with the Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI), will see collaboration with two lead partners, the Bangladesh Association Software and Information Services (BASIS) and the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce (DCCI).
The launch, which took place at the Digital World conference, will benefit more than 40 companies in the promotion of high-value exports and the establishment of long-term business relationships.
Bangladesh is committed to expanding its share of the USD180 billion global IT and ITES outsourcing market.
‘Our target is to reach one billion USD in exports by 2018, and we hope that ITC will help us to reach this goal,’ said Shameem Ahsan, President of BASIS.
Bangladesh’s software and ITES industry had generated USD 100 million in exports in 2013, with growth of close to 60%, partially with help from ITC and CBI under the predecessor project, NTF II.
‘The diversification of exports is a priority, and IT & ITES is a part of the story,’ said Osama Taseer, Senior Vice-President of DCCI.
ITC’s Executive Director Arancha González stated that this initiative will help boost the IT services industry in Bangladesh and enable it to realise its potential.
‘This programme will make small and medium-sized enterprises in the IT and ITES sector more competitive,’ said Ms González. ‘This is a concrete example of how Aid for Trade can work in promoting services trade from least developed countries which will help to create knowledge-driven employment.’
ITC’s leadership of this initiative was endorsed by its partners, including the CBI.
‘We believe ITC is best equipped to promote this industry because of its expertise and focus on SMEs,’ said Dick de Man, Deputy Managing Director of CBI. "CBI sees great potential in the Bangladesh IT and ITES sector, and in partnering with ITC through funding and by also providing support from CBI technical experts to complement the know-how.’
The project “Netherlands Trust Fund III Bangladesh” will be rolled out in co-ordination with other on-going national development initiatives targeting the IT & ITES industry, such as the government's Levering Information and Communication Technologies project, and with the active engagement of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bangladesh. The market-development support of NTFIII will also look at ways to mobilize innovative trade finance solutions such as venture capital.
ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the Millennium Development Goals.
