Say hello to the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative – a new effort through which the company will actively engage in Africa’s economic development to improve its global competitiveness.

This is a multi-year initiative that represents our increased commitment to Africa as we celebrate 20 years of doing business on the continent. The world has recognized the promise of Africa, and Microsoft wants to invest in that promise. As we look forward to our next 20 years, we wanted to explore new ways to link the growth of our business with initiatives that accelerate growth for the continent. To do this, we are focusing on three critical areas – World-class skills, Access and Innovation.

The goal is to empower every African who has a great idea for a business or an application and to turn that idea into a reality which in turn can help their community, their country, or even the continent at large. The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is built on the dual beliefs that technology can accelerate growth for Africa, and Africa can also accelerate technology for the world.