Moldovan cabinet approves new actions to boost IT industry's competitiveness

Chisinau, 24 September /MOLDPRES/ - The government proposes new solutions to enhance Moldova’s competitiveness on the international stage in the information technology (IT) sector. The solutions are contained in a Strategy of development of the information technology industry and of the ecosystem for digital innovation for the years 2018-2023 and in an action plan on its implementation, approved by the cabinet today.

The sector of information technologies and communications (ITC) of Moldova have constantly had positive contributions to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the last five years; in 2016, the IT sector provided 7.7 per cent of the 4.1- per cent economic growth, due to a 4.6-per cent increase of the index of the physical volume of services provided against the year before. International ratings position Moldova as a state with a developed electronic communications infrastructure, friendly for doing business in the information technologies and communications sector, the authorities of the Strategy, worked out by the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry, said.  

According to official data, in 2011-2017, the IT sector’s turnover doubled and the number of enterprises registered increased by 61 per cent. Each fifth company in the IT field is fully or partially with foreign capital. The level of efficiency of enterprises with foreign capital is much higher than of the local ones, which shows a more intense use of innovative technologies.  

On the other hand, there are a string of problems which hinder a quicker development of the sector, such as, for instance, the capacities and number of specialists who do not meet the needs of the IT industry, their limited investments in training and development. The local industry of information technology is fragmented, focused on peripheral segments with insignificant value added. The lack of access to financing is regarded as one of the four critical problems. The strategy comprises also other equally pressing problems.       

By implementing the Strategy, the government is set, first of all, to create a competitive business environment for the companies of the IT industry, create conditions for increasing their number and growing the turnover, thus setting up ITC entrepreneurial hubs. Conditions will be provided for increasing the number of people working in this sector and improving their professional quality.   

Other measures concern the increase in the number of companies which apply digital innovations, extending the export markets and increasing the exports for the products and services of the information technology industry in Moldova, as well as attraction of foreign investments. The estimating cost for the implementation of the Strategy is about 240 million lei, which will be earmarked, most of all, by the business community, development partners.  

On 21 June 2018, the European Union Delegation in Moldova launched the Annual Action Programme for 2018. The EU Delegation reiterated its commitments to back the sector of ITC and Innovations, including through financial support programme, as it is regarded as key field for the country’s competitiveness.  

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)