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Software named Belarus’ main export to USA
MOSCOW, 7 February (BelTA) – Software has become a number one export of Belarus to the USA, with the relevant figure past $0.5 billion. The fact was pointed out by Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Belarus in Russia Vadim Senyuta as he opened the second international conference “Designing the future. Digital reality problems” in the embassy on 7 February, BelTA has learned.
The Digital Economy Development Ordinance was adopted in December 2017. The diplomat reminded that the ordinance had been presented at a similar forum one year before. “Now we have an excellent opportunity to recount the first results achieved in one year after the document came into effect,” he noted.
The diplomat said that the Digital Economy Development Ordinance has become a matter for discussion not only in Belarus, but also in many other countries. “Instead of simply stating its intent to develop the IT industry our country has come up with breakthrough legislation,” he said. “The Digital Economy Development Ordinance has expanded the list of activities the Hi-Tech Park can pursue up to 36. The park is now open not only to conventional software development companies, but also engineering companies, creators and manufacturers of software and hardware solutions, robot technologies. Today Belarus has legislation to regulate the use of tokens and the blockchain technology. The CIS’s first cryptocurrency exchange has been launched. I’d like to note that Belarus is kind of a pioneer because it decided to regulate in a systemic manner the new reality in the shape of cryptocurrencies and tokens taking into account international law.”
Vadim Senyuta stated that the Belarusian Hi-Tech Park has become the largest IT cluster in Central and Eastern Europe. It is unique due to the lucky combination of quality engineering education, outstanding professional skills of IT specialists, and the state support for the IT industry. In 2018 the Hi-Tech Park welcomed 262 new residents, more than in the previous 12 years. The park is now home to over 450 companies, which employ about 35,000 people. Belarus is ahead of the USA, China, and India in terms of software export per capita. As much as 91.9% of the software developed in the Hi-Tech Park is exported, with 49.1% sold to Europe, 44% to the USA and Canada, and 4.1% to Russia and the CIS states.
Organized under the aegis of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the conference “Designing the future. Digital reality problems” will last for two days. Participants of the forum are expected to discuss various things – from the economy of the digital world and cryptocurrencies to educational robot technologies, from art of the new age and reflexive control to new transport systems, which are now possible in computer reality. In particular, a joint scientific project of the Philosophy Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences lies at the heart of the discussions.
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