ICT associations deliver plan proposal to electoral committees

 

ABES, Assespro and Brasscom publish a proposal for a government plan focused on ICT for presidential candidates and state government candidates

 
ABES, Assespro and Brasscom, three relevant associations that represent the Brazilian business market in the ICT sector, disclose the plan “For a Digital and Competitive Brazil”, they are: ABES, Brazilian Association of Software Companies; the Assespro Federation, Federation of Associations of Brazilian Information Technology Companies; and Brasscom, the Brazilian Association of Information and Communication Technology Companies. The purpose of the document is to propose to candidates in the upcoming elections actions that stimulate the information and communication technology sector.
 
The plan is supported by three pillars: stimulating new digital trends, the creation and maintenance of a competitive and innovative environment, and the importance of ICT for economic development, citizen services and public efficiency. Sergio Paulo Gallindo, president of Brasscom, explains the main motivation for the proposals presented: “The ICT and Telecom sectors are driving a new, digital and convergent era. Together, they accounted for 8.8% of GDP in 2013 and have shown growth rates well above the national average over the last three years. It is of paramount importance that our political, administrative and society leaders in general become aware of the relevance of information and communication technology, both for its economic weight and for its transformative role.”
 
The executive adds that the sector needs support to continue growing: “Brazil has already proven its technological vocation, but support is needed for it to continue growing at an accelerated rate. It is essential that we stimulate the future by aligning our efforts with new trends and by massifying the offer of IT services and goods. It is equally critical that we carry out the reforms that lead to a competitive and innovative business environment, with legal certainty, financing and adequate tax burden. Acting with continuity and diligence, we will certainly reap results in all economic sectors, educating our new generations for a connected and digital world and generating social well-being”.
 
ABES also shares Brasscom's vision. For the entity's president, Jorge Sukarie, it is essential that the government turn its attention to the ICT sector. “We identified a great opportunity for the sector to guarantee the competitiveness that Brazil needs to stand out in the international scenario, but we need to overcome some challenges, such as bureaucracy, legal uncertainty, complexity and tax conflicts, among others. Encouraging investments in R&D, innovation, training of manpower and infrastructure will be essential for us to have the productivity leap that Brazil needs to achieve its full development”.
 
For ASSESPRO, a revolution “from the bottom to the top” is necessary, as the entity's president, Luís Mário Luchetta, says. “The current generation, always connected, lacks specific educational models for them. Through the reformulation and creation of new teaching processes, students enthusiastic about new technologies will become better professionals, which will benefit companies, which will have a volume of talent not only greater, but more suited to their needs”. Luchetta emphasizes that "the present plan is accompanied by the answers that the sector will give to the country if the present demands are met, so more than proposals we are presenting a public commitment of the Sector, with the development of Brazil".
 
Proposals for an ICT-oriented Government Program
 
The proposals that the three associations are signatories have already been presented to the campaign committee of Alexandre Padilha, candidate for the Government of São Paulo. Presentations are planned for the campaign committee of President Dilma Rousseff and the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, Aécio Neves, as well as other candidates for state governments, parliamentarians and members of the current Public Administration.
 
The plan highlights the imperative need to encourage the expansion of cloud services, the massification of broadband, and also the development of skills and businesses in Big Data, Internet of Things and Information Security. The formation of human capital is a critical success factor. The dynamization of the business environment in Brazil involves improving labor relations and their legal frameworks, a continued effort to reduce bureaucracy, fostering research, development and innovation, financial support for innovative entrepreneurship and the creation of conditions for the competitive production of IT goods , software and smart sensors.
 
The entities understand that the importance of ICT is evidenced by its dynamic impact, which permeates all economic sectors, citizen services and public efficiency, ultimately resulting in social well-being. The Proposals for an ICT-oriented Government Program are available on the websites of the three associations: www.abes.org.br, www.assespro.org.br and  www.brasscom.org.br.