Aleksandr Lukashenko holds session to discuss development of Belarus’ IT sector
Belarus should find its own rightful place in the information society of the 21st century by getting maximum profits from developing information and communication technologies. President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement at the government session held on 27 September to discuss topical matters regarding the development of information and communication technologies in Belarus.
“We should do it not because we want to show how smart we are or to show that we can do something. We should also do it because it should generate certain revenues, dividends for the society and the state. This is why we pay certain attention, maybe insufficient attention, to the development of information and communication technologies,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.
The head of state said that it was likely the first meeting to have a detailed and principled discussion about these matters. He assured it was not the last one.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stated: “The Internet has been developing very rapidly in recent years. It has changed people, societies, and countries across the globe. With all its shortcomings the Internet still has a lot of positive things and we should use them. We will discuss what we will have to do to achieve it”.
The head of state underlined that the construction of new-generation networks in Belarus, the construction of powerful data processing centers, and maybe the development of new economy branches based on them were very important for the country. The President pointed out that Belarus is in the center of Europe and is a transit country. “We can achieve certain profit from the fact. I say this in view of what we have today. Let’s discuss the problem from the point of view of what we have done in this area, what problems there are, what possible projects can be accomplished and how we are going to go about it,” he said.
However, while investing money one should think not only about profits but primarily the national security, Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
The head of state said that some projects may have to be suspended while government funds should be apportioned, for instance, for a new project if is of vital importance, has a future, and, most of all, if it is effective. “Maybe we should invite other specialists, too, get the government involved in order to get the relevant opinions,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
Participants of the government session discussed several concrete projects and proposals regarding the information and communication industry.
After the session Vsevolod Yanchevsky, Aide to the Belarus President, Head of the Central Ideology Office of the Belarus President Administration, remarked that instructions had been given to be acted upon soon. According to the official, the key task set by the President of Belarus is to advance the country to the level of the world’s leading countries. In addition to creating a modern infrastructure, new-generation networks, data processing centers it is necessary to use the infrastructure to build the universally recognized digital economy that will open up new sources of revenues for the country and the citizens while creating new jobs.