Internet leader forges first private sector partnership with UNITeS

Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced the first concrete partnership arrangement from the private sector with the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS).

Cisco, a leader in Internet networking, said in a press release it would invest $3.5 million into educational programmes in more than half of the world's least developed countries (LDCs). It will deliver the investment through its global Cisco Networking Academy Programme, which teaches students around the world how to design, build and maintain computer networks.

UNITeS and the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) will help implement the project along with the U.S. Peace Corps.
Cisco and UNV are already partners in Netaid.org, where UNV is managing a successful Online Volunteering service. UNV has been designated as lead agency for the UNITeS initiative, which was announced by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his recent Millennium Report.

"The Cisco Networking Academy Programme enables the Internet to bring digital opportunity to every corner of the earth," said John Chambers, Cisco president and chief executive officer. "By including these countries in our programme we will show that the Internet and education are truly the two great equalizers in life for countries, companies and individuals."

The project in the LDCs will provide students in those countries with the same educational opportunity that students taking the class elsewhere in the world receive. In addition, the programme will enable businesses and governments in these traditionally disadvantaged economies to compete in the global Internet economy. Bringing the Internet to these countries and managing the infrastructure with trained workers is essential in today's increasingly global economy.

Cisco believes this programme can offer sustainable development in the LDCs and accelerate their progression and full integration into the world economy.

Cisco will work with current strategic partners United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the US Department of State's USAID/Leland Initiative to extend the Networking Academy program to 24 LDCs.

With this initiative, Cisco will partner for the first time with the Peace Corps and the United Nations Secretary General's new initiative, UNITeS and UNV to help implement the project.

This partnership is an example of how business and government can work together to promote digital opportunity. The expertise and knowledge of these established development organizations are critical to the success of Cisco's extension of its Networking Academy program to LDCs.

The Cisco Networking Academy Programme is a 280-hour curriculum designed by Cisco and delivered in more than 4,400 locations around the world, including all 50 United States and 74 countries. More information is available at http://www.cisco.com/edu/academies.

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