The Syrian government has actively promoted ICT as a foundation for both domestic economic development and foreign investment. This has been achieved through the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the IT Industry Development Agency (ITIDA).
The GDP contribution of the Syrian ICT sector increased by 13% in 2017–18, reaching SYP65.9 billion ($9 billion), or 4.1% of the overall GDP. ICT exports were SYP11.2 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2019, produced by 177 export-focused businesses with 45,000 employees. According to the Oxford Business Group, an additional 66,000 individuals were employed in the locally focused IT sector during this time.
The Internet
There are now only two Internet service providers (ISPs) operating in Syria. One is the Syrian Communications System, and the other is “Syria net,” which is run by the state-owned Syrian Telecommunication Establishment (STE). Although these two companies presently hold a monopoly on the ISP industry, the Syrian government granted a license to run an ISP in 2002. This indicates that the government has made it possible for other companies that want to launch an ISP business to do so. Syria entirely controls both its national (or quasinational) ISPs and its state-run telecommunications company (STE) to regulate or control the Internet.
Why working with Syrian IT companies
Syria has a large pool of multilingual, highly skilled laborers who speak English, German, French, and Arabic. With few communicational obstacles, this base offers Syria an appealing and affordable market for outsourcing services to Western, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets. Syrian IT firms and web agencies headquartered there are deemed accessible and obtain a competitive edge in the regional market as a result of these resources.
What to be on the lookout for when dealing with Syrian IT firms
Syria is more well-known for its affordable web and software services than for its IT enterprises. Thus the latter didn’t have an opportunity to establish a brand for themselves or build a solid reputation.
The local web and software organizations must make do with what they pay for because the international companies pay well for the Syrian IT staff. And this could be a problem for overseas customers who are currently more concerned about quality than anything else.
How trustworthy are Syrian IT firms
Syrian IT companies are generally regarded as being trustworthy in the region. Each country’s businesses are distinctive because of its particular area. In the case of Syria, prospective overseas customers can rely on the country’s qualified labor, advanced business climate, and competitive services.
What connections does the Syrian IT sector have with its neighbors
The regional digital economy is thought to be becoming more and more competitive for Syrian IT firms. Due to a rising IT infrastructure and industry, the IT sector has become a vital aspect of the national economy. The region’s division into subsector leaders is yet another crucial element that boosts the competitiveness of the Syrian IT sector. Syria offers software and mobile applications that are regarded as some of the best in the region. Israel, on the other hand, is widely recognized for offering high-quality cybersecurity solutions on the global market and Saudi Arabia makes the most of the regional website.
Overall, this nation is one of the pretenders to the overall regional leadership in IT and is a good location for outsourcing and B2B relationships in the area.
Forecasts for Syria’s ICT development in 2022–2023
This nation will continue to recover from the conflict and the CoVid-19 pandemic in 2022–2023 with little to no attention paid to the information and technology sector. The country has a high demographic leak with hundreds of thousands of refugees from all over the world, making it even harder to consolidate all industries, including the IT one. While re-establishing internet penetration in the country is a priority and more people have access to information via digital channels, this makes it even more difficult to consolidate all industries. The IT industry in this nation will confront two key issues in 2022–2023; a low level of labor and inadequately qualified IT workers.
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