Representatives of development agencies and global IT companies spoke at the first day of StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum in Samarkand.
Iulia Sandu, Private Enterprise Officer / Acting Director of the Economic Growth and Environment Office, USAID Uzbekistan Mission mentioned that promoting the development of Uzbekistan and IT sector is one of the main goals of USAID in Uzbekistan. According to Ms. Sandu, IT has the power to spur economic growth and improve the development of the country leading to a free and prosperous life, faster resilience, and democratic society.
Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan brought the point of the digital divide challenge. “We already see that around low-income countries around 70% of households are not yet covered by broadband internet. This is a new form of exclusion, and it is extremely important to every country to pay attention to inclusiveness in digitalization processes,” she told.
Yuriy Antonyuk, Vice President, Head of EPAM in Central and Eastern Europe talked about rapid integration of Central Asia into the global world: “Just one fact, EPAM in Uzbekistan last year had 300 people and this year we have around 1,000 people. That’s 3 times growth”.
Anatoly Motkin highlighted that StrategEeast is ready to help untap the IT potential of Central Asia. “We at StrategEast believe in the great potential of this region. Central Asia, with its 70 million, mostly young population, can become the Eurasian IT hub, the next trusted IT development. StrategEast and our coalition of partners are ready to work in the region, to turn it into a digital hub of Eurasia,” assured Mr Motkin.
Iulia Sandu, Private Enterprise Officer / Acting Director of the Economic Growth and Environment Office, USAID Uzbekistan
