| As there are always a number of factors affecting
the society and its advances. One of those factors and the role
player is the private sector. In Afghanistan the private sector
was not allowed to come up with the initiatives freely, but
now the new investment law and other laws developed by the individual
ministers are opening the market to the private sector. This
step is bringing a new era of development in Afghanistan.
Relating this point to the digital economy and then to fill
the digital gaps, it is diamond clear that private sector
will bring new technologies and methodologies in every field
weather that is education, medicine, agriculture or such other.
This will introduce Afghans to the advances made by the rest
of the world in the last two decades, where Afghanistan was
stuck in darkness of war and disasters.
The private sector is contributing allot to the development
and growth of the ICT sector in Afghanistan. At present there
are two GSM operators in the country, which are contributing
to the communication and bringing together Afghans and bridging
the gap. The 2 companies have so far made more than US$ 90
million of investment in Afghanistan and provide mobile phone
services in several major cities in Afghanistan. The 2 companies
have planned to expand the services to over 20 more cities
by the end of year 2004 at additional investment of about
US$ 100 millions.
Through these planes both the companies are bringing investment
to the country, new technologies and opportunities for the
young afghans to learn and get trained with these new technologies
and to understand the modern ways of management and business.
There are 6 ISPs operating in the country, providing services
to the people of Afghanistan in almost 6 major cities. With
these companies Afghans are given opportunities to access
the valuable information available on the International Network.
For the last 2 years the ICT market of Afghanistan has really
flourished, there are IT companies popping up day by day owned
and run by Afghans. The number of computer hardware and accessories
sellers is increasing day by day. Comparing to the last year
there is double growth happen in the number of computer shops.
So we can say that there is a hug potential out there in
the market and the spaces are felled very rapidly. This growth
will end in to a strong Information Society in the country,
with the strong contribution of the private sector.
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