Arlington, VA – Today the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a technical assistance grant to the Rio Grande do Norte State Secretariat of Administration (SEAD) in Brazil that will help provide high-speed internet and enhanced government services to all 167 municipalities in the state. SEAD selected Maryland-based ASTRO Systems, Inc., to perform the assistance.
“Rio Grande do Norte’s prioritization of broadband network expansion is a goal that USTDA is proud to support,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “U.S. companies offer world-leading solutions in this space and are eager to partner with Brazil as it continues transforming its digital infrastructure to meet the demands of its citizens. Our collaboration with the state government of Rio Grande do Norte is helping to make that happen.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will support the state’s efforts to bring connectivity and expand e-government services to underserved and unserved areas through expanded broadband coverage and the centralization and upgrading of its data management infrastructure. These investments will reduce the cost of connectivity, increase redundancy for the systems used by the state government, improve the state’s disaster recovery capabilities, and allow for further cloud computing and web-based service coverage across the state.
“This initiative is in line with Rio Grande do Norte’s multiyear investment plan and Governor Fátima Bezerra’s ICT modernization objectives for the State,” said State Secretary of Administration Pedro Lopes de Araujo Neto. “The project will address the demands of the population of Rio Grande do Norte by improving overall connectivity with best-in-class solutions to provide advanced data storage, equipment, and cybersecurity. Our partnership with USTDA will be fundamental to achieving these objectives as we aim to make public administration increasingly efficient and, above all, improve the provision of services to all citizens.”
“This initiative represents the U.S. Government’s commitment to Northeast Brazil and U.S.-Brazil partnerships in developing high-tech capabilities in the region,” said Consul General May Baptista from the Consulate General in Recife, which serves Northeast Brazil.
The study will advance the U.S. government’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to deliver game-changing projects to close the infrastructure gap in developing countries.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
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