ICT – a strategic sector for sustainable development

Prishtina, 15.12– The Government of Kosovo, bearing in mind the strategic significance of the Information and Communication Technology sector, which is considered one of the most important priorities for sustainable economic development and structural transformation towards a knowledge-based economy, said Deputy-Minister of Economic Development, Besa Zogaj-Gashi.

Deputy Minister Zogaj-Gashi made these comments during the launching of the “STIKK education” Project, also attended by the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Arban Abrazhi, US Ambassador Greg Delawie, Norwegian Ambassador Jan Braathu, Deputy Ambassador of Germany in Prishtina Christina Gehlsen and STIKK’s Executive Director Vjollca Çavolli.

She said that as a result, MED and the Government of Kosovo are in process of approving the “National Information Technology Strategy”, which was drafted in close cooperation with STIKK, universities and with an invaluable support from GIZ and Norwegian Embassy.

Deputy Minister Zogaj-Gashi underlined that the Government of Kosovo is addressing with utmost seriousness all means for advancing its human capital, in order to ensure that it participates in full in maximizing gains from digital economy in the global market.

MED, in cooperation with the World Bank, is developing the Kosovo Digital Economy Development program (KODE). Moreover, the pilot project “Women in Online Work” is under implementation, which aims to increase the participation of women from rural areas in online jobs, which are now available thanks to information and communication technologies.
In their remarks, Norwegian Ambassador Braathu and American Ambassador Delawie, welcomed the initiative and work done by MED to date, in cooperation with MLSW, towards the development of ICT sector.

STIKK Education is supported by GIZ, Norwegian Embassy and USAID. The project encompassed trainings provided to date by STIKK, which results in new programs and initiatives. The objective of this initiative is to develop local capacities in the ICT sector.