According to the President of Burkina Faso H.E. Blaise Compaore, the DSF can play a major role in building an inclusive global information society

At the end of May, Burkina Faso organised its 2nd National Internet Week, with the theme «ICT and health». Is digital literacy a priority?

If people cannot make effective use of ICT they become increasingly handicapped in their lives. So it is important to create opportunities to increase awareness of these new technologies and familiarity with their use, such as the National Internet Week, and to encourage school leavers to learn to master these tools.

What is your strategy to promote the development of ICT on a national scale?

Burkina Faso sees ICT as one of the main instruments in its efforts to reduce poverty. New legislation is being prepared with a view to attracting private investors in the development of electronic communication networks and services throughout the country. This will help us to build a basic infrastructure of quality on a national scale that can serve the reform of the Administration, decentralization, improvement of the educational system and health services, and thus strengthen the capacities of both the rural and business worlds.

In how far can the community health projects associated with ICT, such as those supported by the DSF, contribute to helping the country’s development?

The four projects that have been launched in our country are perfectly consistent with our stated objectives. Demonstrations presented during the Week of the Internet have shown how the facilities available will permit optimum utilization of specialized medical personnel and an improvement in the quality of health services offered to patients in the beneficiary localities.

How do you understand the role of the DSF in the fight against the digital divide?

The DSF can play a major role in the creation of an inclusive global information society. It must permit the financing of activities such as the extension of access to electronic communications, the establishment of contents and services adapted to local needs, and the training of users and technicians. By its very nature, too, the Fund must promote international cooperation and sharing of experiences between different countries.

Would you agree that ICT is also an opportunity for Burkina Faso to share its culture on a wide scale?

Certainly. That is why, with the support of its partners, the country is making an effort to ensure the presence of national television by satellite and the Internet, in conjunction with on-line access to the main public and private daily newspapers. The efforts made to promote our cultural heritage on the Internet are continuing with the aim of enhancing the public image of the country and its people.