Diarra gave the assurance that great mobilisation had already been started by the different Microsoft teams to attain the goals assigned by its president.
"I have instructed our teams in Africa so that they can take stock of hindrances to the development of ICTs on the continent and that they report to me. In agreement with the headquarters of Microsoft, we are going to find solutions to them," affirmed Diarra, a former engineer at NASA. He said the initiative would not be limited to bringing to Africans computer hardware and the high debit Internet without resolving specific problems attendant to them.ICT
"We hope to reach this figure of 45 million. For we are in a comprehensive approach that associates the provision of computer hardware with the resolution of specific problems such as access to electricity or telecommunications, Diarra said.
While Africa represents nearly 17 per cent of the world population, only 3.1 per cent of its inhabitants have access to the Internet.
According to figures presented last week in Lyon during a forum for a responsible globalisation, the Manhattan borough of New York has more telephone lines than those in all African countries combined.
About 2,000 participants in the Forum reacted to these statistics with great concerns, and thus launched a "solemn" appeal for the reduction of the "digital gap", considering that peace and stability around the world depend on non-access to information.
Source: All Africa
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