The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has commended the efforts of the Bahrain Ministry of Information in implementing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and combating the illegal use of software. BSA expressed its appreciation for the major efforts exerted by the Ministry in raising the legal awareness on the issue in all economic sectors in order to highlight the importance of implementing IPR in Bahrain.
"We are working in close coordination with BSA to increase the effective implementation of IPR in general and particularly in the case of software," said Jamal Dawood Salman, director of Publishing, Ministry of Information, Bahrain Government.
"Our partnership with BSA on this matter has aided us greatly to boost the general awareness on the concepts of using legal or illegal software. It has also contributed in opening up Bahrain's economy for greater investment in the Information Technology (IT) sector," he added.
"The Bahrain Government's commitment in strictly implementing and supporting IPR is truly praiseworthy. This has greatly enhanced the usage of legal software within the Kingdom. The Ministry of Information has launched intensive awareness campaigns in the IT sector in particular, as well as the various economic sectors to guarantee the implementation of IPR laws in all areas of business," said Jawad Al-Redha, co-chairman, Middle East, Business Software Alliance.
"The Ministry of Information is working closely with BSA to supplement its efforts and the expertise in order to build the foundation of a strong and vibrant digital economy in Bahrain. The Kingdom is of the best examples of how a country can achieve positive results in the field of IT development. This has attracted a large number of international IT companies to Bahrain as well as increased levels of foreign investment," he said.
Bahrain is among the top few countries in the Middle East region, which has advanced greatly in field of IT development with major PC penetration and Internet usage in comparison to its population levels.
"The Kingdom is making rapid strides in advancing the use of IT in every field of activity. This is very much in line with international initiatives in this field and has greatly contributed to enhancing Bahrain's status as a leading economic and IT hub in the Middle East region. BSA is confident that the efforts of the Ministry will go a long way in propagating the use of IT at all levels of the Bahraini society and help in encouraging IT expertise in the Kingdom," Al-Redha added.
The Bahrain Ministry of Information has made IPR implementation a priority within the Kingdom through a series of educational campaigns adapted to increase awareness among PC users on IPR protection, the importance of respecting copyright on the Internet and the need to combat software piracy. These initiatives are aimed at fostering greater creative enterprise within the Kingdom.
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is an international organization representing leading software and e-commerce developers in 65 countries around the world. Established in 1988, BSA has offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. As the voice of the software industry, BSA helps governments and consumers understand how software strengthens the economy, worker productivity and global development and how its further expansion hinges on the successful
fight against software piracy and Internet theft. BSA's efforts include educating computer users about software copyrights; advocating public policy that fosters innovation and expands trade opportunities; and fighting software piracy. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
