Intellectual Property Law

Tunisia Cyber-parks: An Example of E-government Projects

By IBLS Editor

Tunisia is located in the Northern of Africa.  This Mediterranean coastal country declared independence from France in 1956 and has steadily showed strong presence in the information and communication technology sector.  In 2005, Tunisia ranked 31 among the 104 most advanced countries in the ICT sector.    In 2006, Tunisia ranked first as the most globally competitive economy in Africa.  Tunisia Cyber-parks are an expression of Tunisia advance economy and technological sector.  These cyber-parks have become a unique model of e-government projects and a paradigm for countries around the globe.

According to Tunisia?s government cyber-parks have been created to offer an advance workplace with the latest network infrastructure to incentivize new communication networks.  The goal is to help enterprises in Tunisia to create their own projects.  Indeed, cyber-parks may temporarily host those new projects until they are ready to take off by themselves.      

The government of Tunisia has created cyber-parks in targeted areas where the government seeks expansion for the next decades.  For instance, call centers; software development; remote services related to information technologies like data entry, digitalization and processing of maps, digitalization of documents, databases, remote translation, and remote learning; website development; hosting services and incubators; outsourcing services; and other miscellaneous services based on communication technologies.

There are numerous cyber-parks currently operating in Tunisia.  Some of them are:

-?The El Ghazala cyberpark: specializes in telecommunications.

-The Borj Cedria cyberpark: specializes in renewable energy and the environment.

-The Sidi Thabet cyberpark: specializes in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries

 - The Sousse cyberpark: focuses on computer and multimedia activities.

-The Monastir cyberpark: is devoted to textiles and clothing.

-The Bizerta cyberpark: supports agro-food industries.

-The Gammarth cyberpark: specializes in film production?.

Those enterprises seeking participation in a Tunisia Cyber-park most sign a contract with the National Coordinator of Cyber-Parks, Elgazala Pole, which could last up to three years.  This contract is regulated by Tunisia law 2001-50.  Participants most be Tunisian nationals or legal entities registered in Tunisia.  Some specific fees apply to those who signed to participate in Tunisia Cyber-parks and fees vary depending for each of the three years of the contract.

The World Trade Organization- WTO- presented Tunisia Cyber-parks as example of e-government and ICT strategy.  The WTO highlighted some key components of this project: assistance on the development of IT sector and regulation; development of e-government applications and online services; implementation of computer-risk prevention models, security research and training capacity; establishment of data and back-up centers; among others. 

In addition to this Cyber-Parks program for Tunisia enterprises, Tunisia?s government presented a new program for the 2004-2009 period that facilitates universal access to the Internet in this country.  The program aims at improving connections in all regions of this country, increasing capacity of connection to the international Internet network; generalizing the broadband capacity through ADSL connections; ensuring access to 50% of the populations; and establishing Internet service center in each village of the country by the year 2009. 

Tunisia?s Cyber-parks e-government project is definitely an example of how countries around the world may create job opportunities and improve living conditions and their economies by promoting the development of the ICT. A strong ICT sector is a potential source of business and development for any country in the world.   Just as governments have always tried to promote creation of brick-and-mortar business to generate job opportunities and improve their economies, governments may create the same job opportunities and economic benefits by incentivizing the development of ICT and innovative e-business models. 

Full post as published by IBLS Internet Law Blog on March 09, 2008 (boomark / email).