Introduction: Orlando Ayala

Hello-

This week, I am pleased to be taking part in a groundbreaking event here in Burkina Faso. The ICT Best Practices Forum for West and Central Africa is a positive step towards achieving sustained social and economic opportunity in the region.  Only when we have the right stakeholders working in partnership, discussing the issues and working hard to turn ideas into action, can we expect to see widespread results. 

In a region as economically, politically and ethnically diverse as Africa, enabling the productive use of ICT across society is incredibly complex.  To do so will require public and private sector organizations to work closely to integrate and align economic and social agendas. Microsoft executives, including my colleague Dr. Cheick Diarra, have worked over the past year to meet with government leaders, customers and NGO organizations to understand the real needs for technology in Africa.  Through best practice sharing, brainstorming and networking, the Best Practices Forum will allow for solutions to be more easily replicated across nations, forge and strengthen local partnerships here in Burkina Faso, and encourage an increase in technology investment overall.  

Among other topics, the Forum will address the importance of effective ICT solutions for youth IT training and development, capacity building of regional African NGOs, and government capacity building, in particular e-government programs.  By bringing together public and private partners to address youth unemployment issues among African youth through targeted high-quality ICT and skills training, they can be given the opportunity to interact, work, collaborate and compete on a local and international level.   Increasing institutional ICT capabilities in partnership with local NGO organizations can help drive regional job and economic development.  And enabling local governments with e-government solutions will allow institutions and services to become more efficient and transparent.

Through the recently expanded Microsoft Unlimited Potential, we are renewing our commitment to reach the estimated 5 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of technology through programs and products that will transform education, foster local innovation, and enable jobs and opportunities.  By working in close partnership with local governments, NGOs, and educational leaders, Microsoft can provide solutions that are relevant, accessible, and affordable for everyone.  Sixteen countries in Africa have received more than $5.5 million in grants through our Partners in Learning program.  Our Local Language Program has enabled African citizens to realize the benefits of technology in languages such as Kiswahili, Afrikaans, Setswana and IsiZulu, and we are working with local partners to introduce even more languages in the coming year.  And Microsoft’s Community Technology Skills Program, focused on adult learning and job training, has impacted over 700,000 people in 43 countries across Africa and the Middle East in collaboration with 40 NGOs, IGOs and 900 local partners.

This represents only a sampling of the ongoing work Microsoft has been doing in recent years in cooperation with local and international partners to foster digital inclusion in Africa—you can learn more through videos, news, and case studies at our Microsoft Unlimited Potential Info Center. 

Over the next several days, this space will serve as a means to present news, commentary, photos, and learnings from the ICT Best Practices Forum.  We’ll be featuring onsite postings from Microsoft executives and event partners—explaining more about their work to bring ICT access to Africa, providing an on-the-ground view of their personal experiences at the Forum, and offering a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on the event.  I look forward to continuing this dialogue, here at the Forum and as we push towards a prosperous future for Africa.

— Orlando Ayala, Senior Vice President, Emerging Segments Market Development Group, Microsoft