1. IT4Transparency &
Competitiveness of ICT sector
(USAID implication)
Sergiu Botezatu, PhD
USAID Senior Project Management Specialist
Policies & Strategies Leader
Moldova ICT Summit 2011
Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, May 18 - 19, 2011

3. Competitiveness  innovation
Competitive advantage
Competitiveness
Productivity
Innovation

4. ICT for Moldova…
AN ADVENTURE???
A REALITY???

5. ICT is one of the most dynamic
economic sectors in Moldova
• ICT represents nearly 10 %of GDP (on par with
agriculture production)
• about 40,000 people employed directly and
indirectly in ICT, which makes ICT one of the
major employers in Moldova
• ICT employs the young generation
• Between 2008 and 2009, Cisco Systems reports
double and triple digit growth in Moldova’s
NetAcad program;

6. Innovation - IT4Transparency
Active implementation of open data
concept– one of only 16 nations in the world.
Advanced ICT industry and a strong
movement towards a robust e-government
initiative.

7. USAID/Moldova:
• Competitiveness Enhancement & Enterprise
Development (CEED)
• Moldova Rapid Governance Support
Program (MRGSP)

8. CEED was one of several projects in
USAID/Moldova’s portfolio that supports
economic growth in the country:
• Contract for 5 years (2005-2010) with a $7.9 million
ceiling price
• Competitiveness project that worked in three target
industries: ICT, apparel/textile, and wine. Also a trade
finance component.
• Implemented by Chemonics International in
partnership with Crimson Capital Corporation and Dexis
Consulting Group

9. CEED II is one of several projects in
USAID/Moldova’s portfolio that supports
economic growth in the country:
• Contract for 4 years (12.2010-12.2014) with a $9.15
million ceiling price
• Competitiveness project that works in the same three
target industries: ICT, apparel/textile, and wine. Will
also select three new industries for support.
• Implemented by Chemonics International

10. Moldova Rapid Governance Support Program
(MRGSP)
• Contract for 1.75 years (03.2010-11.2011) with a $3.7
million ceiling price
• Assistance to Moldovan Government ministries and
offices to support the implementation of key reforms
• Implemented by Millennium Partners Consulting

11. MRGSP
CEED II ICT Private
Sector

12. ICT sector & CEED
• Productivity - IT Mark and CMMI
• Quantity and quality of the IT workforce -
Cisco Networking Academy & Microsoft IT
Academy
• ICT Association of Moldova
• Market linkages & Business missions

13. Proactive Marketing
Brings Exposure
Trade publications and shows move
Moldovan IT firms into the mainstream
“The trade show was a workable
platform for sales and communication
with the market. But this is no time to
relax. We are moving forward into a true
IT solutions vendor.”
A representative of Dekart (right)
Valeri Anestiadi, demonstrates the company’s Private Disk
CEO of Dekart application to a buyer from Japan.

14. IT Firm Hits the Mark
USAID helps IT company receive
new certification to increase
exports and compete in the
region
“The IT Mark program was just what we
needed. I had no idea the staff would
get so interested in and energized by
the process, but they did. USAID’s
support made a big difference.”
Andrei Aidov,
QSystems Director

15. ICT Firms Earn Policymakers’
Respect
USAID supports formation of a new ICT
association that is reaching out to
Government policymakers
“Having become part of a likeminded
group, we’ve learned to cooperate and
consolidate our opinions in order to The association board presents the
members’ vision and action plan for the
present a united front.”
ICT sector.
Veaceslav Cunev, President, Moldovan
Association of Private ICT Companies

16. Hands-on IT Courses
CloseSkills Gap
Microsoft and Cisco IT
courses are now
offered at eleven
Moldovan schools – “I benefited from every
six high schools, one second of
my Cisco Networking
college and four
course; it’s
universities – thanks well-structured and
“The ITE course, with its unique
to USAID support. interactive style of teaching and interactive
learning, is so different from nature helped me discover
typical IT courses taught in high a real
schools and colleges in Moldova. fascination for IT.”
My students don’t hesitate a Tatiana Cotiga
minute to stay after classes or IT Department Student,
come on weekends to attend the ASEM
ITE course.”Valentina Spinu
ITE and CCNA instructor at the
College of Finance and Banking

17. • An Integrated Case Management System (ICMS) software
application was developed and installed throughout the Moldovan
court system;
• Under State Tax Inspectorate a toll-free customer call center was
created to answer taxpayer questions;
• New computer software called the Collection Enforcement Tracking
System (CETS) was created to improve management of tax auditing
and tax collection, thereby reducing capabilities for corruption;
• Equipment and advisory support was provided to the State
Customs Service's efforts to develop a link with the European Free
Trade Association (EFTA)'s New Computerized Transit System
(NCTS) which has greatly reduced the opportunities for customs
fraud in Western Europe. NCTS was successfully tested; etc.

18. IT4Transparency & MRGSP

19. Station 1: Suppliers of Open Data
Station 2: International Case Study on Open Government Data
Station 3: Funding application development and analysis
Station 4: Moldova Case Study: Citizen participation (Nat. Trash
Cleanup Day)
Station 5: Suppliers of Open Data
Station 6: NGO Perspective
Station 7: International Case Study on Open Government Data
Station 8: Road Map for Future Evolution of Open Data

20. IT4Transparency leads to a
more transparent and better
governance and more
competitive ICT sector.

21. Thank you!
Sergiu Botezatu, Ph.D.
Senior Project Management Specialist
Policies & Strategies Leader
USAID Regional Mission for Ukraine, Belarus, & Moldova Chisinau Office
sbotezatu@usaid.gov
Tel. +373-22-201-800