US$820 mln in ICT exports projected for 2014 – EDB
View(s):Sri Lanka’s ICT sector exports have already reached US$ 719 million, with $820 million projected to be total ICT exports for 2014, according to Saman Maldeni, Director for Export Services at the Export Development Board (EDB), quoted in a statement.
Further, he also added that the local ICT industry was on track to achieve its much-publicised goal of $1 billion next year.
Quoted as making these comments at the IT/BPM Export Forum and Entrepreneurship Worksop held on December 5 at Jaffna’s Tilko hotel, a part of the recently concluded Jaffna IT Week, Mr. Maldeni also noted that the ICT sector had recorded a 123 per cent growth in IT sector over the last five years.
He also commented that “Sri Lanka’s IT/BPM sector vision 2022 is a $5 billion revenue sector with 200,000 direct jobs and 1000 start-ups. The northern region has been identified as one of the major regions that can harness its strengths and skills to make this dream a reality. Jaffna region’s stress free environment, availability of skills and infrastructure such as internet and electricity are key factors in this regard”.
Additionally, per the statement; “The first ever such Forum to be held in the Northern Province, it packed 30 ICT operators and 30 would-be young entrepreneurs and start-ups and seven leading Lankan IT BPM CEOs. Held on the theme of ‘Accelerating IT Exports and FosteringEntrepreneurship’, the one day, one-of-a-kind session consisted of presentations from seven Lankan IT firms – Virtusa, Stax Inc, WSO2, Calcey, CodeGen, Hayleys BPO, 99X Technology well as top two public sector agencies ICTA and EDB.
Co-organisers of the Forum were EDB and ICTA”. (JH)