Digital divide still too wide claims UN

There is still a wide digital divide between developed and developing nations despite commendable efforts from high-tech companies according to Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day General Assembly meeting on IT, Annan said the world is still a long way from ensuring technology is readily available for all.

African nations called the meeting claiming they suffered the most serious ill-effects of the digital divide. The greatest problems, explained Abdul Mejid Hussein, delegate for Ethiopia, are the lack of infrastructure, capacity, connectivity and education. Help is essential to overcome these impediments, he added.

Yoshito Utsumi, secretary general of the International Telecommunications Union, claimed many citizens throughout the world are still excluded from even simple technologies such as making a phone call.

However, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal said he is hopeful of a digital revolution.

Some steps have already been taken to improve the situation, such as the use of underwater fibre-optic networks linking millions of African residents and companies and the promotion of e-trade and e-business strategies.

As part of the efforts to bring internet services to developing countries, top CEOs have signed a charter to donate at least 20 per cent of their charity budgets to the UN's Forum Task Force.

Similar to the Information and Communication Task Force (ICT) - launched last year - the Forum Task Force is charged with developing and promoting public and private sector initiatives to close the digital divide. The CEO Charter for Digital Development is just one of its initiatives.

Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Vivendi Universal have already signed the charter.

Microsoft is expected to donate around £30m worth of software and technical expertise. Last year, the software giant donated $36.6m in cash and $179m in software.

HP is expected to give away about £6.7m.