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U.N.
PARTNERSHIPS: MICROSOFT AFRICA, TED TURNER, UN FOUNDATION, LOUISE MacBAIN,
BUSINESS LEADERS MEET (MaximsNews.com,
U.N.) |
UNITED NATIONS - / www.MaximsNews.com@U.N./
- 17 May 2007 –
The U.N. Office for Partnerships hosted an event to
further advance Africa’s partnership strategy on Tuesday and the participants
included several U.N. ambassadors, senior Microsoft representatives, foundation
and business leaders, including philanthropist Ted Turner, founder of the United
Nations Foundation, Louise MacBain, founder of the Louise T. Blouin Foundation,
and senior United Nations officials.
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Amir
Dossal, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships,
and Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director of Community Affairs, Microsoft Corp.,
welcomed participants.
Mr.
Dossal underscored that public-private partnerships were the key to the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Mr. Badshah explained
his long-standing relationship with the United Nations to support the
Millennium Development Goals.
Representatives
from Microsoft outlined its work with Governments, educators and information
technology industry partners in Africa and across the world to provide
access to transformational technologies through Microsoft Unlimited
Potential.
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Microsoft
had set an initial goal of reaching 1 billion people who were not yet realizing
the benefits of technology by the year 2015.
United
Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro stated that “African
development is one of the highest priorities of the United Nations.
We
will need to work on many fronts if Africa’s people are to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals, triumph over poverty and enjoy sustainable peace
and well-being.”
She
underscored that, “recently, [Microsoft] announced that it is increasing its
commitment and investments to bring new social and economic opportunities to
developing and emerging segments around the world through Microsoft Unlimited
Potential.
Africa
will be a key focus for this programme, and we welcome this important effort.
I thank everyone involved in making it possible, and look forward to the
positive results it will no doubt bring for the men, women and children of
Africa.”
The
Deputy Secretary-General noted that she was “delighted that Microsoft is
working with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, which is facilitating
innovative alliances for the entire UN system.”
Orlando
Ayala, Senior Vice-President, Emerging Segments Market Development, Microsoft
Corp., detailed Microsoft efforts “to use technology, training and
partnerships to help bring sustained social and economic opportunity to the
estimated 5 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of
technology”.
He
continued by noting that, “through the expansion of Microsoft Unlimited
Potential, the company is renewing and accelerating its long-term commitment to
transform education, foster local innovation and enable jobs and opportunities
to help give the people of Africa a chance achieve their full potential”.
The
United Nations Office for Partnerships serves as a gateway for partnership
opportunities with the United Nations family.
It
promotes new collaborations and alliances in furtherance of the Millennium
Development Goals and provides support to new initiatives of the
Secretary-General. The Office also manages two innovative mechanisms:
The
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), established by the
Secretary-General in March 1998 to serve as the interface between the United
Nations system and the United Nations Foundation -- the public charity
responsible for administering Ted Turner’s $1 billion contribution in support
of United Nations causes.
UNFIP
concomitantly serves the Foundation and the United Nations funds, programmes and
specialized agencies that receive funds from the Foundation.
The
United Nations Democracy Fund, established by the Secretary-General in July 2005
to reinforce the United Nations work in the promotion of democracy, human rights
and the participation of all segments of society in the democratic process.
For
more information, contact Camilla Schippa, Chief of Office, United Nations
Office for Partnerships at schippa@un.org,
tel. 212 963 3441
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Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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