Background

IT Enabled Services covers a wide range of business activities that make use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a medium of supply. The dispersion and interconnectivity of ICT, coupled with a general decline in costs has resulted in a surge in services that can be provided remotely. Day to day business operations such as accounting, human resource management, marketing, and customer service can be out sourced, creating business opportunities for providers spread in different locations around the world. Analysts?estimates of the size of the global market for ITES vary widely, ranging from USD125-900bn. It is a large market, and one that Developing Countries strive to access.

In delivering its mandate to enhance export competitiveness in Commonwealth Member States, the Commonwealth Secretariat has provided support to seventeen countries seeking to enhance their trade in services. In most of these, ITES has emerged as a sector that can be harnessed for export growth and competitiveness. Success stories abound: India and Mauritius have demonstrated the potential of ITES exports to transform economies at a rapid rate. This has inspired many Commonwealth Member States, from small island states like Antigua to populous developing countries like Kenya and Ghana. While the efforts to increase exports of ITES have borne some fruit, the experience has highlighted the obstacles that must be addressed if the benefits are to be realised. These include access to reliable telecommunications; inadequate understanding of the market; shortage of the right skills; regulatory and bureaucratic bottlenecks, among others. This Conference is conceived as a platform to learn through sharing experiences, opportunities and challenges in exporting ITES. Resource persons from international and regional organisations, including the World Bank Institute and COMESA will be invited. The Conference is co-organised with the Regional Multi-Disciplinary Centre of Excellence (RMCE) hosted by Mauritius. The RMCE was established to serve as a training and advisory centre for Member States and Regional Integration Organisations in Africa.

Documents