Bulgarian Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications and Cisco Cooperate in Support of National Competitiveness and Knowledge Economy

SOFIA, Bulgaria - September 16, 2010 – The Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria and Cisco today announced their intent to collaborate on several initiatives to increase Bulgaria's national competitiveness through the strategic adoption of information and communications technologies (ICT). The collaboration furthers the government's strategy of using the potential of information and communications networks to accelerate social and economic growth. The ministry and Cisco signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the key areas for cooperation.

Key Facts / Highlights:

The ministry and Cisco will focus on key pillars of national competitiveness, such as the knowledge economy and education. Furthermore, they will explore the opportunities of knowledge transfer and sharing best practices in the use of ICT to increase productivity and innovation.
The cooperation also aims to support the development of entrepreneurial capacity and networking skills. To this end, Cisco intends to launch the Cisco® Entrepreneur Institute in Bulgaria. The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute is aimed at building entrepreneurial capacity and provides practical insights for entrepreneurs on how to utilize technology in business.
Cisco has a successful track record in Bulgarian education. The Cisco Networking Academy® was launched in Bulgaria in 1999 and currently trains more than 3,000 students annually at 50 academies across the country.

Supporting Quotes:

Alexander Tzvetkov, minister, Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications, Bulgaria

"The memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation is in alignment with the policy of transparency in the relationships between the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications and representatives of the business. Its aim is to help increase the competence of the state administration in information and communication technologies. Implementation of international best practices and standards will facilitate faster and more efficient electronic governance in Bulgaria."

Borislav Dimitrov, general manager, Cisco Bulgaria

"The memorandum of understanding is an important step in our cooperation with the Bulgarian government in the field of information and communications technology. It shows our commitment to contribute to the development of an information society in Bulgaria – through investments in education and knowledge-transfer programs such as the Cisco Networking Academy and Cisco Entrepreneur Institute."