Computer for all program to propel computer market development in Armenia

YEREVAN, May 4. /ARKA/. More than 17,000 computers have been sold under the Computer for All pilot program, Enterprise Incubator Foundation Director Bagrat Yengibaryan told ARKA News Agency on Wednesday.

He said 34,000 computers were sold in Armenia in 2010 thanks to this pilot program, while only 6,000 were imported in the country in 2009.

“We think the program gave a strong impetus to sellers, users and banks,” Yengibaryan said adding that all the companies wanting to join the program can do it within this month.

“The Central Bank of Armenia, German-Armenian Fund and Enterprise Incubator Foundation will sign an appropriate agreement soon, under which the allocated funds will be distributed as commercial banks’ consumer loans,” he said.

The foundation director stressed that loans would be extended at low interest rates.

Monthly repayments will range from AMD 10,000 (about $26.8) to AMD 20,000 (about $53.6).

Yengibaryan said that the economy ministry is going to involve the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development Center of Armenia in the implementation of this program, since there are some problems in selling computers in provinces.

“Some populated spots in the country have no computer-selling shops,” he said. “That is why it is planned to involve shops and individual entrepreneurs in the process of selling computers.”

The key stage of the program was launched in December 2010.

The program costs $6 million, of which $3 million was lent by the World Bank. The remaining funds were provided by the Armenian government.

The aim of “Computers to All” program is to develop e-society by enlarging the number of computer and Internet users.

Promotion of development of IT sector by spurring computer and software market is among the program’s top-priorities.

The pilot stage of the program was launched in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor in September 2009.

The main stage of the program is being implemented in cooperation with Intel, Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard.-0---

 

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00:19 05/05/2011