ICT in Belarus

Mikhail Doroshevich, Marina Sokolova

Abstract: Major developments of the years of 2001-2002 prove that the ICT sector consisting of various sub-sectors (e.g., telecommunications, electronics, software, hardware, services, etc.) is expanding and infiltrating business, administration, education in Belarus. While awareness of these dynamics is growing, Belarusian government is already pursuing an array of ICT-related laws and regulations. Overview of the governmental ICT initiatives shows that the key focus is the development of telecommunication infrastructure, widespread introduction of information technology to government in order to collect and process data and information security which are regarded as a step of transition to information society. “Electronic Belarus” is oriented generally to organizational and technological upgrading of the public administrations. Issues of wide public electronic access to information and participation in democratic process, transparency of public administration are not mentioned in the programme. But the fact that e-government is proclaimed as a perspective creates opportunities for further work in this direction.