A Microsoft, the world's technology giant, announced the opening of an Office of Africa Transformation (ATO) as part of its doubling of its investments on the continent, as well as an effort to continue enabling digital transformation “powered by Africans for Africa”.
The company also announced that the Africa Transformation Office will be headed by new Executive Director Wael Elkabbany. In a statement, Microsoft said that, under Elkabbany's leadership, ATO will partner with public and private organizations to empower millions of Africans and promote economic prosperity on the African continent.
"We have been present in Africa for 30 years, with major investments that have tangibly impacted the continent's economic growth. Now is the time to scale up this investment and play a more important role in enabling economic transformation and prosperity. ”, said Samer Abu-Ltaif, corporate vice president and president of Microsoft for the Middle East and Africa.
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According to Microsoft, there is an urgent need to adopt digital platforms to accelerate Africa's economic growth. This means investment in network infrastructure and high-speed access solutions, along with an intentional focus on regulatory and business reforms. Innovation in cloud services will enable Africans to better participate in the global digital economy; however, these opportunities bring challenges that need to be addressed to unlock the continent's full digital potential.
“Although the African opportunity is immense, the challenges are complex and no company or government can solve them alone. We are working across sectors, technologies and borders to foster partnerships and develop solutions that will have a lasting impact. Microsoft is committed to rethinking how and why we develop digital solutions and strategies to better meet Africa's needs, and I'm excited about the opportunity to help build a truly connected continent,” concludes Elkabbany.
