Egypt drops 3% off its software piracy rating as it aims to become a leading outsourcing location CAIRO, Egypt, June 13
CAIRO, Egypt, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Egypt has taken a step forward in
combating software piracy according to the fifth annual BSA and IDC Global
Software Piracy Study where its piracy rating dropped to 60% for 2007, an
improvement of 3% year on year. Its rating is now 1% below the global median
piracy rating (61%) for 2007.
The report, conducted across 108 countries, looks at the impact of the
piracy of all packaged software that runs on personal computers, including
desktops, laptops and ultra-portables. Software piracy is a global issue and
is a particular challenge in emerging markets where rapid growth in
first-times users leads to high consumer piracy. Increased Internet use,
especially broadband, leads to an increase in the supply of pirated software
and in many emerging countries, where institutional infrastructure is weak,
education and enforcement can be difficult.
However, Egypt has met the challenge head on, highlighting its commitment
to providing a modern business environment. The support given by the Egyptian
government through the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
(MCIT) and the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), has
enabled Egypt to take a number of steps to reduce software piracy.
Commenting on the reports finding, His Excellency Dr Tarek Kamel, Egypt's
minister of communications and information technology said: "Piracy is a
global issue and here in Egypt we have been proactive in tacking the
situation. Since the early 2000s we have been approving deals with vendors to
provide software for government and educational use which has contributed to
this latest drop in our piracy rating."
Last year, Egypt was named by the World Bank as the top reformer in 2007
and not only will a reduction in software piracy help build Egypt's position
as a leading outsourcing location but, according to an IDC report published in
January 2008, a ten point reduction in Egypt's piracy rating over the next 10
years will have a profound impact on the country's economy. An improved rating
will create an additional 1,750 new jobs, $150 million in economic growth and
$8 million in tax revenues.
Over the past five years, Egypt's piracy rating has fallen from 69% in
2003 to 60% in 2007. As a result, it now has a lower piracy rating than some
of the other leading global outsourcing locations including Morocco (67%), the
Philippines (69%) and Bulgaria (68%).
Commenting on Egypt's position in the global market, Dr Hazem Abdelazim,
CEO, ITIDA said: "Over the years, Egypt has worked hard to reduce piracy
levels with a number of initiatives including Intellectual Property Rights
training for prosecutors and the Egyptian courts of law and whilst there is
still a long way to go, we are making good progress. Egypt has the potential
to become one of the world's most attractive, dynamic and fastest growing
locations for global outsourcing and offshoring and it is important that we,
along with the MCIT and the Egyptian government, continue to support the
development of the IT industry."
SOURCE ITIDA
