Jens Drews, Government Relations, EMEA, Speaks at AMD Consortium NEPAD e-Schools Launch
8/4/2006

Top teachers accepting awards from AMD’s Jens Drews, Government Relations, EMEA.

Kampala, Uganda

I am honored to speak to you today on behalf of the Chairman of AMD, Dr. Hector Ruiz. He sends his sincere greetings. What we are inaugurating today here in Kampala is important to him personally, as it is important to AMD as a company.

Founded in 1969 and based in Sunnyvale, California, AMD designs and produces innovative microprocessors and low-power processor solutions for the computer, communications, and consumer electronics industries. With more than 10000 employees around the world, my company is recognized as an industry leader in one of the most demanding industries — the computer chip industry.  But we are not only known for our strength in technology and manufacturing, but also for our commitment to improving the quality of life of the world’s citizens.

In fact, our Chairman Hector Ruiz, views this responsibility as important as the responsibility to maximize shareholder benefits. Dr. Ruiz knows what it means to overcome disadvantage. He was born in Mexico in 1945. As a young boy, he crossed the American border every day to get an education, which paved his way to become a successful engineer and accomplished company leader. He has not forgotten what his roots are. That is why he is so compassionate about helping people all over the world to achieve what they are capable of achieving — regardless of where they are born, what their economic and social circumstances are. His passion has turned into a program. Its premise is simple: Education is the key to solve the problems that afflict far too many countries around the globe. And as there is only one planet Earth, we must take a global approach. To put it quite simply: To educate the world, we must connect the world. 

We have seen, all around the globe, the tremendous positive transformations being brought about by information and communications technologies (ICTs) such as computers, internet, email, and even telephones. AMD believes that these technologies, if applied properly, are critical tools in the quest for participation in the world’s economy and economic development, for providing innovative solutions to pressing social dilemmas such as education and health; and for ensuring the preservation (and indeed the regeneration) of the world’s variety of cultural heritages.

AMD’s commitment towards bringing the benefits of ICT to the world’s population, especially in developing countries where it is most needed, and where it is the most absent, is not just rhetoric. It has resulted in a practical program aimed at providing 50% of the world’s population with access to ICT and the Internet by 2015. We view the 50x15 program as "digital inclusion with a deadline", a vision that cannot be met by any one organization — but one that requires partnerships between a diverse group of important stakeholders including International Development Organizations, Government and Inter-Governmental Organizations, Research and Development Organizations, the broader private sector, and civil society organizations.

Today we are bearing witness to the 'power' of this ecosystem approach. The successful implementation of the NEPAD e-Schools Project in these three schools is entirely as a result of a strong multi-sectoral partnership, and I would like to thank our good partners in NEPAD, the Ugandan Government, and in the participating schools.

Just as important, AMD has brought together a strong consortium of companies to provide more than the technology, but to provide total solutions — such as digital content for education and health; training of teachers to effectively utilize the equipment and the content; and an effective deployment, support and maintenance plan. I should also highlight that we have from the outset put in place a strategy of working with local Ugandan companies especially in the areas of deployment, training and support, in order to ensure that these schools will have immediate access to technical assistance as may be required — and to empower local companies with the skills required to replicate these solutions in other schools.

Honorable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce the companies that are responsible for transforming these schools into NEPAD e-Schools:

• Asbis
• Cisco
• Computainer
• Multichoice Africa
• Intersat Africa
• Microsoft®
• Inveneo
• I Direct
• NewSkies Satellites
• Learnthings
• Agile Learning
• Linux Solutions®
• Bushnet

We are indebted to each of these companies for the significant contributions that each has made, and count it a privilege to work with them on this project here in Uganda, and across the African continent.

Finally, I would like to pay a special tribute to the NEPAD e-Africa Commission and the participating African governments for realizing the tremendous need for the NEPAD e-Schools Project, and for setting the bold targets associated with this project; Transforming all African schools (estimated in excess of 600,000) into NEPAD e-Schools is indeed an ambitious undertaking. But just as in the case of 50x15, we have no choice but to be ambitious.

AMD and the AMD Consortium looks forward to working with the Ugandan government to bring to fruition the objectives of NEPAD and 50x15 here in Uganda - this is the important way to build the African Information Society, and to ensure that Africa is indeed integrated into the Global Economy.

Thank You for your attention!