Brazil?s Science and Technology Minister, Sergio Rezende, was today (Tuesday 02/10) welcomed to the headquarters of Brasscom by the president of the association Antonio Gil, and by presidents and executives of member companies. The Minister learned about the results achieved by the programs that have been developed by Brasscom with the support of the Ministry and other governmental bodies. The main project with the Ministry is the updated study into Brazil?s competitiveness in Information and Communication Technology, carried out by the consultancy AT Kearney. The results of the study, which is on the final phase of preparation, have underscored the great opportunity faced by the information technology sector in Brazil in the current global crisis. Brazil is emerging in the world as the main alternative to India for information technology outsourcing, a business that will develop from US$ 70 billion in 2008 to US$ 101 billion in 2010.

Sergio Rezende, who backed the first studies, done in 2006, said Brasscom has been becoming more relevant in identifying this opportunity for the country. The day before, at a meeting of business leaders with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and some of the top government Ministers, held at the Government Palace, Rezende stressed to the President the strategic importance of IT and the role played by Brasscom. Monday?s meeting was organized by the former Planning Minister, João Paulo dos Reis Veloso, and was also attended by the president of Brasscom, Antonio Gil.

At the meeting at Brasscom, Gil told Rezende that the IT sector will grow at 20% a year, as identified by AT Kearney, even given the current economic crisis. The outlook is for ICT service exports to leap from their current US$ 1.3 billion to US$ 3.5 billion by 2010, achieving the target set by the Brazilian Government?s Productive Development Policy (PDP). Hence the main challenges the sector needs to overcome were discussed, such as technical and English language training, labor cost reductions, the internationalization of Brazilian companies, and the promotion of the ICT Brazil brand.

Accompanied by the Information Policy secretary, Augusto Cesar Gadelha, Rezende called for him to back Brasscom?s efforts to speed up regulation by the government of Law 11.774, which offers unprecedented tax reductions in companies? welfare tax (INSS) contributions, from 20% to 10%, on software and IT service exports.

Rezende also stressed the importance of Brazil?s Mathematics Olympics, sponsored by the Science and Technology Ministry, in public schools since 2005, and said they identify a natural target for the companies. ?In 2008 over 18 million students signed up to the program, with three thousand students winning prizes in the finals. This shows that there is a significant number of young people who have the ability to begin careers in ICT?, said Rezende. At the Minister?s suggestion, Brasscom and the Ministry will decide on ways IT companies can take part in future Olympics.