Series of anti-piracy raids conducted in Kuwait

The raids resulted in the confiscation of two computers, one hard disc and 97 CDs loaded with pirated software. The successful raids were the result of the continuous cooperation between Microsoft, as a Business Software Alliance (BSA) member, and the concerned authorities in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information.

Qannas Al Adwani, Director of Publications, Ministry of Information, Kuwait said, "The Ministry is continuously organising awareness campaigns aimed at educating the public about the negative impact of using pirated software. We are committed to further our cooperation with the various parties to train our staff to recognise and confiscate illegal software, and this will make them better equipped to implement the IPR laws in the country.

'The ministry is also exerting efforts to raise awareness among end-users about the importance of using original software and its role in raising return on IT investment. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Microsoft and BSA for their continuous support to the various campaigns aimed at reducing piracy rates in Kuwait."

Jawad Al Redha, Chairman, BSA said,

"We commend the efforts of the Kuwaiti authorities and we congratulate them for the success of this anti-piracy campaign which will definitely have a positive impact on the national economy of Kuwait. We are committed to continue our coordination with various governments in the region to organise training programmes and awareness campaigns that will raise the skills of the employees concerned and enable them to efficiently conduct their duties. Kuwait has achieved remarkable progress during the past two years in the field of software piracy and these steps will surely further these achievements."

Microsoft as a BSA member is continuously coordinating with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information and the other international software development companies to step up efforts to curb piracy. In addition, BSA is continuously conducting campaigns aimed at raising public awareness about the detrimental effects of using pirated software, not only on their systems but also on the national economy in general.

"Anti-piracy campaigns can only be successful with the continuous efforts and coordination between various authorities concerned. Software development companies and end-users should come together to protect the intellectual rights and curb the use and trade of illegal software. We call upon all individuals to report piracy incidents on our hotlines and make a conscious effort not to use pirated software," Al Redha added.

A recent study by the International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that a 10 per cent decrease in Kuwait's piracy rate between the year 2006 and 2009 would push the growth rate of the country's IT sector from 68 per cent to 75 per cent and will take the value of Kuwait's IT sector to US$ 830 million. This will also lead to the creation of 667 additional jobs and will contribute US$ 357 million to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).