BSA and Bahrain launch new anti software piracy initiative

Business Software Alliance (BSA) and the Bahrain Ministry of Information have successfully concluded an anti software piracy road show at the Bahrain Sheraton Hotel as part of a region-wide initiative to create public awareness of intellectual property rights issues.

The road show also sought to show support and help fortify Bahrain’s anti-piracy strategy for 2008. The country is poised to enhance its anti-piracy performance after recording significant gains in the past few years, as it reduced up to four percentage points from its piracy rating during a three-year period ending in 2006, according to global IT research firm IDC.

“It is our aim to intensify our campaign especially given the fact that Bahrain has the highest ICT adoption rate in the Arab world,” said Jamal Dawood, director of publication, Ministry of Information, Kingdom of Bahrain.

“Bahrain’s anti-software piracy initiatives play a key role in improving investor confidence in the country and ultimately boosting economic growth,” said Jawad Al Redha, Microsoft IPR Manager in the Gulf.

Bahrain topped the Madar Research Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Use Index for 2005, posting the highest ICT adoption rate among 18 Arab countries.

The country has implemented strict government policies against the illegal trade and has offered incentives to organisations that cooperate with its anti-piracy program. Bahraini law enforcement authorities have been conducting raids in various critical areas the past few months, and have also supported the awareness campaigns of BSA and Microsoft to educate both the private and public sectors of the detrimental socioeconomic effects of software piracy.

“We have enjoyed a very fruitful partnership with our counterparts in Bahrain with regards to our war against software piracy in the country and in the region. We hope to see more unified efforts among the government, the private sector and the public in eradicating piracy and realising the full potential of the country’s rapidly developing IT sector,” concluded Al Redha.