Senegal: Microsoft Launches Office in Dakar

Senegal: Microsoft Launches Office in Dakar Senegal: Microsoft Launches Office in Dakar Business in Africa (Johannesburg) February 5, 2007Posted to the web February 5, 2007 Dakar The government of Senegal today signed a strategic partnership agreement with Microsoft to help bring the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to civil servants, educational institutions and the country's broader population. President Abdoulaye Wade and the Chairman for Africa at Microsoft, Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra presided the signing, coinciding with the opening of the computer software developer's Dakar office. This comes just days after the company announced the global release of its most important software solutions to date - Windows Vista, Office 2007 and Exchange 2007. "); //--> This will be Microsoft's tenth direct presence in the West, East and Central Africa (Weca) region and it joins offices in Abidjan and Douala from which the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is managed. "It is widely acknowledged that Senegal is one of the leading technology thinkers in Ecowas," said Dr. Diarra, the Malian-born Unesco goodwill ambassador and former Nasa interplanetary navigator. "In turn, Microsoft has worked with governments and institutions in many countries across Africa and, indeed, the world. As a result, the agreement we've reached today covers the deployment and use of technologies in ways that are locally relevant, as well as broader citizenship and education investments and programmes. We hope that the knowledge, experience and best practices we've developed over the years can now benefit the people of Senegal." In terms of the three year agreement, Microsoft will work to build an even stronger ICT infrastructure for the government - with a firm focus placed on the security of information and the ability for different systems to operate with each other. Focus areas of the agreement include ways that Microsoft can help boost the local software economy in Senegal by bringing developers together; the training of civil servants on ICT; software donations and grants under the Unlimited Potential programme; and the funding of IT academies at the Universities of Bambey, Thiés and Ziguinchor. "Our team here in Dakar will be dedicated to supporting partners, interfacing with customers and driving growth for the market," explained Pierre Nel, the interim country manager for Microsoft West & Central Africa. "The office will be lead by the country manager, who we plan to appoint soon - someone who understands the local needs, economy and culture, and can help harness the tremendous potential that Senegal and Ecowas has to offer." Nel said Microsoft is looking to help bring the benefits of ICT to the Senegalese telecommunications sector - as well as the rest of the private sector. Relevant Links West Africa Senegal Economy, Business and Finance United States, Canada and Africa ICT and Telecom "An important focal point for us at this time is to deliver Microsoft software in Wolof as part of our local language programme, in partnership with the University of Dakar. "In addition, we will continue to invest in our Partners in Learning projects to train teachers in the use of technology, so that they can in turn can empower students. And we will drive our participation in the Nepad e-Schools project, of which Senegal is one of the pilot countries," he said. Microsoft will be offering more training, capacity-building and skills development to its partners in Senegal. At present there are a number of certified partners, two 'gold' partners (FTF and SOLID) and three distributors (Afimex, Hiperdist, MC3 and Southcom Polaris). Copyright © 2007 Business in Africa.