« Internet belongs to everyone and should be available for everyone »

• OVERVIEW

The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, and the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, announced on Saturday to the United Nations that they will provide resources to serve one precious goal : to provide an access to the Internet worldwide by 2020. This action follows the strategy implemented by the UN to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030, one of the 17 objectives of global development fixed by the UN.

• CHALLENGES

According to the UN, half of the global population has no reliable access to the web, especially women whose educ

ation is a fundamental pillar to development.

“When people can access the tools and the knowledge of the Internet, they have means to make life better for all of us”, quoting the grouped declaration of Mark Zuckerberg, Bill and Melinda Gates, who all devoted their fortune to philanthropy. Mark Zuckerberg posted on Facebook that among 10 people connected to the Internet; only 1 manages to get rid of poverty.

“If we connect the fourth billion of people who have currently no access to the Internet, we have a historical opportunity to improve the future of mankind in the next decades” (Mark Zuckerberg) That’s the Internet by 2020 aim.

• SOLUTION

A new audacious global program has been unanimously voted on Friday by the 193 member states of the United Nations. This program called “To transform our world: the Program of sustainable development for 2030” counts 17 objectives of sustainable development.

For the “worldwide access to the Internet” project, a budget of 3 500 to 5 000 billion dollars per year on a 15-years period will be available for countries where the Internet connectivity is still low.

The other characters involved in this project are Jimmy Wales, co-founder of the online free encyclopedia Wikipedia, and Bono, the famous singer of rock band U2.

• RESULTS

AFRIKANET cares about playing a major role in the development and the implementation of an Internet access in developing countries and more especially in all remoted areas of AFRICA. With AFRIKANET’s competitive prices and its wide network of VSAT solutions, AFRIKANET is ready to help the United Nations in the achievement of this global project.