Running 14 countries from its Kenyan office, Microsoft has set out its 2010 strategic plan in the region with an aim for expansion, partnerships, community development plans and enhance innovation globally. In a recent interview, Ali Faramaway, Vice President, Microsoft International, Middle East and Africa, told CIO East Africa that the software company aims at expanding its portfolio to the rest of the African continent with an objective of having the right calibre of people to facilitate the company’s mission of putting presence in uncovered regions to populate and market both the products and services offered by Microsoft.“The expansion will target regional hubs in the continent that are ready to implement Microsoft’s plans and objectives in an expeditious manner. Though our aspiration is to cover the whole of Africa, we will want to target economic hubs like Kenya in East Africa, that is, countries with the economic muscle to implement business processes in a dynamic manner.” Stressing on the need for partnerships, Faramaway believes that they are significant in fast tracking ICT projects in the region.“For us, striking the right levels of partnerships and engagements to make a tangible difference in the way people use technology is key.”

Key partners, therefore, include Governments in terms of encouraging the use of ICTs in education and health, and telecommunication industry with emergence of mobile devices such as mobile phones and laptops, as well as IT partnerships interested in building capacity and local development in the use of ICTs. With community development as another priority in Microsoft’s 2010 agenda, he says the IT industry has the responsibility of supporting and addressing the challenges faced by communities they are serving which include youth empowerment, long life learning and partnership with NGOs and multilateral organizations in order to understand the projects that would benefit the various parts of the community.

On the other hand, Faramaway says the major focus for the company would revolve around development of innovative solutions and business models to help change the business environment in Africa. To curb the software piracy menace, he says Microsoft has embarked on an aggressive campaign to create awareness to the customers in order to enable them to purchase the right and genuine software at an affordable cost.

“The solution to software piracy is creation of awareness and making sure people know about the facts and reducing the price of software so that people can get access to it and making them know the advantages of using legal software.”

Meanwhile, Microsoft has launched Internet Explorer 8, a secure browse engine to address issues of security and safety while surfing the net. The launch of Internet Explorer 8 couldn’t have come at a better time. Verviant Consulting is an ICT company based in Nairobi, which has been operating for three years, delivering Internet and other computer services to the local community and customers in the first world markets. During this time, Agosta Liko, CEO, Verviant Consulting, has used a number of applications as the default Internet Browser on his company’s public computers.

“When Internet Explorer 8 was released, I simply had to install it and find out what all the fuss was about.  And my customers and I were very pleased,” Liko says.
A feature called InPrivate, gives you the ability to surf the Internet in virtual anonymity, preventing the computer from permanently recording your browsing history, and storing temporary Internet files and little tracking files called cookies.

“InPrivate is also a lot more powerful, giving users the ability to filter content coming from third parties, which may give them information about your surfing habits,” he adds. Users have full control over what can and can’t track their activities so it gives you peace of mind that you know exactly what is happening with your personal information. Internet Explorer 8 has a host of other security technologies that will also ensure that a user’s personal surfing habits and identity information are secure – especially in places where lots of people share public computers.

At the same time Microsoft is aggressively addressing Data and net security which are becoming more and more important. In the age of the communication society, the volume and importance of information traffic are constantly increasing. An ever-growing proportion of the activities of public authorities, military agencies or commercial businesses is represented or supported by information. Consequently, the ability to assess, decide and act depends increasingly on the availability of reliable net security systems to ensure secure communication.

“Given the high value that information can represent these days, the supplier of information security and net security systems takes on great responsibility. As a partner, he must enjoy the user's trust”, says Roger Halbheer, Chief Security Advisor, Microsoft, Europe, Middle East and Africa.