USTDA Promotes Improved Data Hosting in Colombia

(USTDA) BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency signed a grant agreement with the Cámara Colombiana de Informática y Telecomunicaciones (Colombian Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications, or CCIT), a leading industry association headquartered in Bogotá, to support its efforts to promote greater data hosting in Colombia. The technical assistance will consist of a combined economic, technical and legal/regulatory analysis, together with an assessment of U.S. best practices and their applicability to the data hosting market in Colombia, as well as the development of an action plan to present to the Government of Colombia.

"USTDA is pleased to partner with CCIT on this activity, which seeks to bring about a more 'hosting friendly' climate in Colombia, thus enabling the country's internet sector to achieve its full potential," said USTDA Regional Director Nathan Younge. The grant was signed by the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, Benjamin Ziff, and CCIT's Executive President, Alberto Samuel Yohai, at U.S. Embassy in Bogotá.

"It is a tremendous honor to work side-by-side with the U.S. government in order to find innovative alternatives to promote various frameworks with which the ICT market – and specifically the data-hosting segment – can flourish," Mr. Yohai stated.

Founded in 1993, CCIT contributes to Colombia's economic and social progress by advancing the coordinated development of the information communications and technology (ICT) sector in the country. The organization has a lengthy track record of collaborating and acting as an advisor to the Government of Colombia on ICT matters. In addition to representing the interests of its members and acting as an industry spokesman, CCIT is also the administrator of Network Access Point Colombia (NAP Colombia), which handles some 95 percent of internet traffic exchanged within Colombia. A majority of the organization's members are significant actors in telecommunications and ICT, both in Colombia and worldwide.

The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded technical assistance will be competed through Federal Business Opportunities. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the FBO announcement.