Belarus president expects digital technologies to improve performance of real economy sector
26/10/2018
According to BelTA the adoption of digital technologies will ensure more effective operation of the real sector of the national economy.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the statement as he received a report from First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Turchin on 25 October, BelTA has learned. The development of the IT sphere and the introduction of digital technologies in the national economy and the country as a whole were discussed during the meeting. Alexander Lukashenko remarked: “We've heard all kinds of proposals. They were primarily put forward directly by IT industry professionals. They went nearly as far as to suggest setting up an independent government for digitizing the country. Setting up a digital economy ministry was suggested later on. We've already put a lot of efforts into developing the IT sphere. We've been accumulating experience since the Hi-Tech Park was established among other things.” Alexander Lukashenko stressed that the accumulated experience is sufficient for making the next steps to not only develop the Hi-Tech Park but switch the entire country to digital technologies. “It is certainly a fashionable trend but fashion is not what it is all about. Unfortunately, the future of our country lies outside the real sector of the economy and its development. Or maybe fortunately because as you know we have to import nearly all the raw materials for the real economy sector. But IT industry and its development, revenues from IT need brains, need human capital. We can get a lot of benefits for the development of the country and for the nation's wellbeing in this regard. We will not abandon the real sector. Digital technologies will only make its operation more effective.” The head of state wondered what else needed to be done in this area and how questions of Belarusian IT industry professionals should be answered. “They certainly did well. They saw that money can be earned that way. And people are needed for it. They are ready to invest their money in education, development, and so on. It is good because the preferences they have been granted are unprecedented,” said the head of state. “It is necessary to make investments little by little today in order to get more revenue, larger profits, and more effective performance tomorrow.” Alexander Lukashenko stated: “We should not make mistakes and we should enable the most advantageous conditions for the development of the IT sphere.” As a result of the meeting instructions were given to arrange a major government conference involving the head of state in Q1 2019 to discuss the development of digital economy in the country. It will be a major event not in terms of the number of participants, but in terms of the importance of the goals and tasks the country faces due to the forthcoming digitization of the economy.
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