Minister President Kretschmann
Visits AXSOS in Ramallah

BADEN-WÜRTEMBERG'S MINISTER PRESIDENT KRETSCHMANN PRAISES COMMITMENT AND COURAGE

My delegation and I were deeply impressed by your multifaceted entrepreneurial and social commitment, supported by both pioneering and conciliatory spirit. Our visit provided us with valuable insights into the possibilities of an IT company in a challenging environment, and thus made a significant contribution to the success of our delegation trip.

Winfried Kretschmann, Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg

At the end of his delegation trip through Israel and the Palestinian territories, Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann visited AXSOS AG's branch office in Ramallah, in the early morning. CEO Frank Müller, board member Rolf Stephan and the Palestinian AXSOS employees welcomed Kretschmann and media representatives from Palestine and Germany.

The Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg was stopping in the Middle East for the first time during his tenure. As President of the Federal Council, he became acquainted with Israel and the Palestinian territories as early as 2013. The occasion for the delegation trip with Minister of Economic Affairs Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut (CDU) was to get to know the thriving start-up scene in Israel and the culture of starting a business.

The visit to AXSOS AG in Ramallah made it clear that entrepreneurs from Germany must dare to take the step to Palestine: AXSOS AG has maintained its branch office in Ramallah since 2011 and benefits from this partnership. Meanwhile, more than 40 Palestinian IT specialists work for AXSOS in Ramallah, as Frank Müller told the Prime Minister during a tour of the offices. These are AXSOS employees on an equal footing, who also meet with their German colleagues in Stuttgart or Ramallah for regular exchange and training. They also exchange information daily, via video or telephone conferences. In Ramallah, custom developments are realised and large parts of the end-user support are provided for clients in an around-the-clock service. Custom development and user support comprise some of AXSOS's core competencies. Kretschmann admired the plans of the board of directors to expand further until 2030 and to create new positions in Palestine as well as in Israel.

Müller also stressed the social and cultural aspects of AXSOS's commitment, which go far beyond everyday working life. AXSOS played a decisive role in the introduction of the dual study program at the Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, based on the example of Baden-Württemberg. AXSOS was not only involved in the design of the curriculum, but also created three jobs for female students.

In addition, the exchange between the film academies of Ludwigsburg and Ramallah/Jerusalem was initiated, an idea that was suggested by film student Marisa Meier. AXSOS also actively invests in youth work in Palestine and works closely with the YMCA in East Jerusalem.

In times of digitalisation, AXSOS considers it important to facilitate interfaces between the different fields of expertise, in order to create new synergies and perspectives through exchange. A commitment that was very well received by the Prime Minister, who made it clear that AXSOS is acting as a role model for the expansion of cooperation between the two countries.