Microsoft
Focus on a Member - Summer 2008
In this month's member interview, we have the pleasure to present some of the views and projects of Cheick Modibo Diarra, Microsoft's chairman for Africa.
Dr Diarra is responsible for the company's broad-scale citizenship, education and developmental activities on the African continent. He is also UNESCO's Goodwill Ambassador for Science, Technology and Enterprise; the Vice-President of the UN's World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology; a member of the Independent Commission on Africa and the Millennium; a member of the High Level African Panel on Biotechnology; and the Founder and President of the African Summit on Science and New Technologies (SASNET).
In the framework of the upcoming Microsoft co-presidency of the EU-Africa Business Forum and the company's active involvement in the European CSR Laboratories addressing socio-economic challenges through business-stakeholder cooperation, Dr Diarra answered the following questions.
Microsoft is a very active participant of the European CSR Laboratory on Sustainable Business at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP). Could you describe your approach regarding these new business models?
Social enterprises involving business, NGOs and governments are a good opportunity to foster local development and entrepreneurship.
However, to ensure efficiency and feasibility, we need to come out with concrete business models that can be tested, learned upon and reflected. To scale up these types of initiatives it is necessary to analyse the footprint of successful examples and adapt this knowledge to the particular circumstances of a region or country, and that is why we are interested in the outcomes of the BOP laboratory.
The main interest at Microsoft regarding BOP initiatives is to unleash the full potential and impact of ICT on development - especially regarding education, IT skills and entrepreneurship. We want to deliver innovative programmes and solutions to help drive economic growth and sustainable development.
In your view, what is the impact of synergies and cooperation between public and private sector actors on development issues?
Public and private partnerships are fundamental for achieving a greater impact of our initiatives. Today, we work with many partners and governments aiming to align the needs of government, community and business - which in fact converge in many aspects.
That is why we work closely with the AUC, ECOWAS, NEPAD, UNIDO, UNESCO, UNWTO, and national governments. We must recognise that there has been a very positive mindset shift from the government side regarding synergies and cooperation with multinational companies. However, we still need to keep working towards a better understanding of each other and improved partnerships.
The potential of these synergies between public and private actors is already being capitalised. For example, in the framework of our programme 'Partners in Learning' we work with national and local governments to provide access to technology in the schools as well as training for teachers. This initiative is in operation in Angola, Gabon, Namibia, Senegal and other African countries - and has reached around 20 million students.
How would you describe the impact of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential programme in Africa?
With 'Unlimited Potential', we want to reach 5 billion people at the bottom and the middle of the pyramid by 2015 with programmes in areas such as education and entrepreneurship.
The overall goal of this initiative is to help close the digital divide through the creation of new products and programmes that equip communities with skills and knowledge that allow seizing the benefits of technology and thus stimulate economic growth, innovation and employment.
In Africa we have in place 10 programmes such as the IT Academies and Skills Academies. We currently have 35 academies in countries like Algeria, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Cameroon or Uganda. In the programme 'Partnerships to Support Local Small Businesses', we work with international organisations such as UNIDO or the UN World Tourism Organisation to support and develop entrepreneurship.
Next November, Microsoft will take up the co-presidency of the EU-Africa Business Forum. Could you tell us about the key issues you will be bringing forward in this Forum?
As agreed in the last edition of the forum that took place in Accra 2007, the main areas to be addressed in the upcoming gathering of the forum are 1) interconnectivity - infrastructure, 2) interconnectivity - ICT, 3) trade, and 4) entrepreneurship.
These four areas are the pillars on which we base the recommendations and lines of action. For each pillar, the forum agreed on a set of recommendations. Progress will be evaluated in November 2008 and in the subsequent editions of the EU-Africa Business Forum.
As a new co-chair of the Forum, I would like to put emphasis in the creation of concrete models that can be tested on the ground and when feasible, deployed in several regions.
What are your thoughts on the role that education has as a trigger for development? How are they reflected in your work with Microsoft?
As an African who's entire career is built around the education I got in Africa, in Europe, and in America, and as one who sees the competitive advantage of Africa in its youth, I believe that there cannot be any sustainable development for Africa without universal access to quality education.
As Africa Chairman of Microsoft, I look for opportunities to invest in technological innovations and community efforts that bring to bear My company great ability to invest in research and development and the leadership on the ground in Africa be it from Governments or from NGO's.
More information
For more information about CSR Europe activities in which Microsoft engages, please contact Carien Duisterwinkel on cd@csreurope.org.
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