Bill Gates Announces Microsoft Partnerships and Programmes to Benefit More Than 45 Million People in Africa By 2010
Accessibility and affordability of technology central to helping Africa achieve Millennium Development Goals.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — 11 July 2006 — Today at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum Africa 2006, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and former US President Bill Clinton highlighted the critical role information and communication technology (ICT) and public-private partnerships play to create change and a strong, vibrant future across Africa and developing countries. During his keynote, Gates highlighted Microsoft’s long-term approach to investment in Africa, including collaborations between Microsoft and local and global organisations such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Through these partnerships, together with Microsoft’s existing Partners in Learning and Unlimited Potential education programmes, the company hopes to deliver the benefits of ICT training to more than 45 million people in Africa by 2010 and help governments create sustainable economic growth.
“For Africa to truly become competitive in the global economy, strategic collaboration between businesses, governments and non-governmental organisations is essential,” said Gates. “By providing more affordable access to technology and helping partners build strong local software economies, Microsoft can help create knowledge-based economies in Africa that generate new jobs and offer new opportunities for growth, prosperity and innovation.”
"Technology has expanded opportunities of millions of people around the world and — whether expanding access to information, education or healthcare or increasing the collective power of individuals — it has an important role to play in creating a thriving, competitive Africa," said Clinton. "The efforts I've seen from Bill Gates and companies like Microsoft, in partnership with governments, NGOs and other private-sector organisations, are helping Africa in its push to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals."
In support of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Microsoft’s efforts in Africa focus on investments in education to increase skills and create opportunities, partnering with local businesses to increase trade and grow local industries and software economies, and working with government to develop ICT infrastructure through affordability and access. The MDGs form a blueprint agreed to by UN countries and leading global development institutions. The MDGs range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS to providing universal primary education by 2015.
Infrastructure to Support Africa’s Future Growth
Creating the right technology infrastructure is an essential ingredient in economic development — both with existing industries and new industries with significant growth potential, such as tourism in Africa. Gates announced today Microsoft’s collaboration with the UNWTO to support tourism in developing countries and on the continent of Africa.
“This agreement is a huge leap forward for tourism-driven job creation, export income and capacity building for the world’s poorest countries — especially in Africa where it will be integrated into our programmes to alleviate poverty through sustainable tourism. It links Microsoft’s technology and solutions with UNWTO’s central role of advancing the sector as an instrument of development, “said Francesco Frangialli, secretary general of UNWTO. “Equally importantly over the next five years we will collaborate closely to build a leading-edge ICT dimension into all of our key programmes, ranging from improved access for tourists through electronic border clearance, to better quality service through distance training and sustainability management at destinations.”
Through this cooperation, Microsoft is supporting the commitment the UNWTO made to contribute to the MDGs to develop sustainable tourism as a force to alleviate poverty. The collaboration with Microsoft has benefits including the creation of two solutions. The first is a new portal system called “Windows on Africa”. Through the cooperation with UNWTO and NEPAD, the portal is designed to showcase African tourism by aggregating online content in a user-friendly pan-African format. This material will be linked at the national and local level to incorporate key data from visitor centres, museums, and libraries. Ultimately, it will even provide real-time advice via PDAs and mobile devices with destination-specific data. To further support capacity building and industry growth, a tourism industry and skills curriculum, based on a model implemented by Cape Town Tourism, will be made available both on the portal and through training sessions at local community-based technology centres.
In addition, the cooperation will allow for the creation of the UNWTO Emergency Response System, a mechanism for information sharing and rapid messaging that aims to both bring order and help save lives during natural or man-made catastrophes. The solution will bring together a broad range of existing tourism networks that offer elements of disaster information today; these include hotel, airline, cruise ship and travel bureau networks — all to be streamlined in one platform. The first slated application will be to provide support for industry-wide avian flu preparedness.
Investments in Education
As part of his keynote, Gates also highlighted the necessity for communities to deal with the workplace of the future and the importance of education. Microsoft joined NEPAD’s Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD) Initiative as a foundation partner and platinum member in December 2003 and is an active participant in the e-Schools Initiative. Microsoft is leading a consortium of industry partners to support 25 schools in eight African countries — Cameroon, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal — with a PC lab per school, software, teacher training, networking, connectivity, maintenance and support.
“This is the first time that African governments, NEPAD and the private sector are cooperating on an ICT project of this scale and scope in the NEPAD framework, developed and driven by Africans, and for African people”, said Dr Henry Chasia, Deputy Executive Chairperson for the NEPAD e-Africa Commission. ”This technology will enable young people to tap into the global mainstream of information and knowledge, where they will learn and play, expand their imagination and creativity, collaborate with peers across the African continent and across the world, and generally participate in defining the future of their world.”
It is estimated that more than 20,000 students and 1,000 teachers have already benefited from the Microsoft consortium’s efforts with the e-Schools Project. The goal of the programme is to create an ICT solution that more than 600,000 schools across Africa can eventually model to bring technology to their schools.
Affordability and Access Enables Economic Development
In addition to working to increase access to technology in schools and education, Microsoft announced new collaborations with one of South Africa’s leading mobile operators, Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN), to help bring affordable wireless broadband connectivity and PC access to consumers in South Africa. Through this collaboration, Microsoft and MTN will work together to provide affordable finance options for consumers purchasing internet connectivity and an Intel PC running Microsoft® Windows® Starter Edition. The programme allows flexible terms through either the purchase of the PC and internet access on a fixed-term contract for a low monthly fee or through purchasing the PC and a month-to-month internet contract. This initiative will make purchasing a computer and internet connectivity more affordable, and therefore more broadly accessible, for the average South African consumer. By supporting partners delivering more affordable internet access, Microsoft is enabling access to technology to expand opportunities that help citizens in emerging technology markets access the social and economic benefits of the global IT industry.
”Mobile connectivity has become a key driver of telecommunications growth across the continent and has paved the way for increased mobile access through convergence and mobile data and wireless applications. This collaboration with Microsoft to provide internet and PC access will encourage enterprise development among disadvantaged communities,” said Ashraff Paruk, head of Strategy and Product Innovation for MTN. “Our commitment is to growing the prosperity of communities, actively developing infrastructure, and participating in the social and economic life of the countries in which we operate.”
“It’s great to see leaders in government, education and technology come together to identify creative ways that African nations can use technology to address the challenges they face and open the door to new opportunities,” said Gates. “But there’s still a great deal of work to do and we remain committed to extending our resources and investments as we work with partners from the public and private sectors to support growth and opportunity in Africa.”
Additional information of today’s announcements is available on Microsoft’s EMEA Press Centre website at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre and at the virtual press room http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre/glfafrica/default.mspx.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.
About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft employs more than 13,000 people in over 60 subsidiaries, delivering products and services in more than 138 countries and territories.
#########
This material is for informational purposes only. Microsoft Corp. disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to use of the material for other purposes. Microsoft Corp. shall not, at any time, be liable for any special, direct, indirect or consequential damages, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other action arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the material. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting any kind of warranty.
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Microsoft EMEA Response Centre
Phone: +44 870 243 0515
E-mail:emearesponse@waggeneredstrom.com
Note to editors
If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft in EMEA, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/emea or the EMEA Press Centre at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at the time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact the Microsoft EMEA Press Office at +44 870 243 0515 or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/contactus.
If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft Corp, please visit the Microsoft web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
