HP sets up Global Support Centre in Tunisia

Continuing its commitment to invest in the growth of the African continent, HP recently announced its decision to establish a Global Support Centre in Tunis, Tunisia. It will open during the first half of 2010 and it is estimated that the new venture will create up to 800 new jobs over the coming years.

Construction of the HP Centre in Tunis is currently underway and upon completion, HP will combine its existing sales, marketing and software support operations in the new facility. HP has been working closely with the Tunisian Ministry of Telecommunications to complete the project, illustrating the power of partnership in achieving goals.

HP made this announcement against the backdrop of the World Economic Forum on Africa 2009, recently held in Cape Town. HP’s plan for Tunisia is guided by the three key themes that were identified at the forum: inward investment, innovation and collaboration.

“HP is excited about the prospects for IT development in African countries and the role IT can play in wider economic development,” said Santiago Cortes, Managing Director of HP’s Middle East, Mediterranean & Africa region. “HP is already Africa’s leading IT company. We are fully committed to supporting the growth of the IT industry and employment in these markets, and believe that many African countries can play a much bigger role in the global technology marketplace.”

The establishment of the Tunisian Support Centre joins other HP initiatives to support the maturing information technology industry in Africa. These include the ‘BrainGain’ project – which uses grid and cloud computing to link universities in Africa and the Middle East to global research networks – and the ‘Innovation in Education’ programme, which supports technology development at schools and universities across the continent
HP also founded and supports the HP Business Institute in South Africa, which aims to develop promising small and medium IT enterprises owned by previously disadvantaged communities. In addition, HP manages 70 ‘GET-IT’ centres in 25 developing countries, where unemployed graduates receive business and IT training and are supported in their entrepreneurial projects.