Software in Tunisia

Faouzi ZAGHBIBChairman, Tunisian IT Chamberfaouzi.zaghbib@r2i.com.tnwww.ssii.org.tn

ICT environment … for 9 million people

Telecom infrastructure : 1 fix operator/fix, 2 GSM operators, 15% connected to fix, 37% connected to GSM, OF backbone, variety of technologies (FR, ADSL, RNIS, LS), good country coverage, 10% using internet, 1.5% have an email addresses registered locally (target : 10%/2006), …

Investment : registration process, founding, tax franchising (ICT manpower, Export, Off-Shore companies),

Legal environment : for ICT (telecoms regulation, e-sign, e-certif, e-pay, security, intellectual property protection, personal liberty protection), general codes (trade, employment, tax, public tenders, …)

ICT public initiatives: zero tax/HDW, family PC founding,e-Dinar, e-gov (taxes, social insurance, e-healthRDV, UVT, EduNet), 6 technical parks, incubators, 23 remote work centers, continuous cost reduction

Tunisian ICT private sector

265 engineering & services companies 410 distributors & resellers 12 ISP (6 private) 8 development centers serving

multinational co 18 call centers (oversea support)

Tunisian ICT manpower

12000 ICT specialists (7000 serving in the private sector)

34 500 students following ICT carriers ICT education generalized to all specialties

at universities All secondary schools equipped with ICT

Labs & connected to internet Primary school

CNS-SSII members business

IS & IT Consultancy Software engineering Networks engineering IT Systems integration IT Security Multimedia services engineering e-services

CNS-SSII market structure 70% of the business done with public sector

& companies controlled by the State : Public services: budgeting, tax, customs,

health, social insurance, utilities, … Telecom public operator Transportation main operators Industry : chemicals, energy, …

Private market : Enterprise : RH, ERP, finance, distribution,

CRM, e-business, business-intelligence, … 60%Banking, 75%Insurance Tourism

Tunisian ICT development plan 2002-2006

Invest US$ 1,5 billion (35% software & services)

Create 27 000 jobs for ICT graduates ICT sector contribution to GDB : 7,8%

(achieved : 3.5%/2004) Export US$ 155 millions

(achieved : 50 m/2003)

Challenges to develop local market Developing telecom infrastructure increases

content demand, investment, revenues and potentials

Increase IT demand (e-services, content management, e-commerce, …) & associated services (consultancy, integration, training, …)

Accelerate privatization process: telecoms, internet

Increase competitiveness : Yearly ICT Benchmarking : infrastructure, legal

environment, access to market, costs, competition Insure good practices

Tunisian performances

4-6% GDB growth since 12 years Recognized economical performance :

WEF Davos/2003 Foreign investment during 2003 : 12% in ICT

sector, 17% yearly growth 45% GDB coming from foreign trade 80% Export made with Western Europe (hard

competition, quality standards, rules, …) Education performance : high coverage, good

quality ICT sector is doing well

Challenges to push business w/region

Awareness : Private ICT sector : Who is doing what Market demands / Opportunities Legal environment Practices : who, haw, how long it takes,…

Build networking Start partnership for local market / tenders :

consortium, distribution agreement, support/training Support regional initiatives : legal env, projects Multiply business meetings Capitalize on success stories

Tunisia … a business partner