StrategEast center awarded Juan Navas-Sabater a StrategEast Lifestyle Westernization Award in recognition of his contribution to bringing fast broadband Internet for millions of people in Central Asia with the World Bank Digital CASA Project.
Due to the continuous restrictions for in-person events, the award handover ceremony was held online with the discussion between the StrategEast president Anatoly Motkin and Juan Navas-Sabater on the global vision and prospects of IT industry development in Eurasia. In particular, answering the question about the possibility of turning the IT industry into another pillar of the economy of Central Asia, Mr. Navas-Sabater noted: “Each of these countries individually is too small to become a player in the global IT market. But when we look at these countries together, we get the necessary critical mass.”
Mr. Navas-Sabater has underlined key components and aspirations of the Digital CASA project. The broadband component will connect Europe to Asia, the data economy will emerge – data centers and surrounding ecosystem, including digital entrepreneurship, and IT companies. According to the World Bank estimates, just on the broadband internet component countries can add 1% of GDP in terms of annual growth. It can also impact on a macroeconomic level, creating innovative, high-end jobs. In the case of Kyrgyzstan, the Bank calculated that some 50,000 new jobs in the ICT sector can be created over the next 7-10 years.
There is also a venture capital dimension, which can create significant revenues for the industry and digitalize the economy, the delivery of government services. In addition, countries in Central Asia, like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – which have access to low carbon energy can make the data center business quite lucrative and green. Having this combination, Central Asian countries’ collaboration can be another pool for private investment to turn this region into a digital hub.
Juan Navas-Sabater is a Lead Digital Development Specialist, Cluster Lead for Europe and Central Asia, Digital Development Global Practice, World Bank Group.
StrategEast Westernization Award was established in 2018 and is awarded for the significant contributions of politicians, business representatives, and civil activists in creating closer ties between this region and the Western World. It is presented in 6 categories: Economic Westernization, Political Westernization, Legal Westernization, Westernization of Lifestyle, Language and Culture Westernization, and Lifetime Achievement.
Learn more about the nominees of the recent StrategEast Westernization Award
