Rouhani urges digital economy investments in Iran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed the importance of the digital economy for the country’s development, adding that investing in the digital economy is more reliable and less expensive when compared to the traditional economy.

Speaking at a ceremony held yesterday by the Information and Communication Technology Ministry to unveil infrastructure projects, Rouhani pointed to the importance of information technology, in particular as a result of the spread of the coronavirus  He said that during the pandemic 77 million persons were offered loans, without them having to visit banks. This was only achieved “through electronic and digital systems”.

The Iranian president said that the traditional economy takes between 10-20 years to offer returns, while investments conducted through the digital economy are faster to bear fruit.

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He hailed the achievements made in the Iranian health sector through electronic communication or phone calls, without face to face contact, which was particularly useful in helping the government and the health system fight the coronavirus.

While the digital economy constitutes 14 per cent of some countries’ economies, it makes up 6.5 per cent of the Islamic Republic’s, according to Rouhani, who stressed that this percentage needs to increase.