VOA常速英语2007-Technology Summit Opens in Rwanda

The Connect Africa Leaders' summit kicked off in the Rwandan capital Kigali Monday. The conference focuses on investment and development in Africa's burgeoning¹ telecommunications industry. For VOA, Noel King has more in this report from Kigali.

Ten African heads of state and representatives of technology giants including Microsoft, Intel and Ericsson attended Monday's opening ceremony.

The summit intends to promote foreign investment in Africa, in order to bridge the so-called "digital divide," and place the continent on par³ with developed nations.

African leaders pledged to slash⁴ dependence⁵ on foreign aid and charity, and focus on ending poverty through investment in telecommunications.

Calling for an "economic revolution," Rwandan president and summit host Paul Kagame said Africa's future depends upon technological⁶ advancement⁷.

"We in Africa are more than ever before challenged to foster growth and development using our national and continental⁸ resources," he said. "Investment and trade must drive the transformation⁹ of our economies. Africa remains¹⁰ the world's least connected continent, which means that we are forgoing¹¹ enormous social and economic benefits that accrue¹² from ICT, a proven and powerful engine for growth and development."

Investors¹³ encouraged African leaders to commit to transparent¹⁴ government policies on trade and investment in order to attract foreign investors.

The summit allowed Rwanda to display recent strides that the small Central African nation has taken in infrastructure¹⁵ and telecommunications.

Conference participants lodged¹⁶ at Rwanda's first five-star hotel, where many marveled over the high-speed wireless¹⁷ Internet.

Delegates told VOA that Rwanda had been chosen to host the summit because its progressive economic policies, which encourage foreign investment and entrepreneurial endeavors, make the developing nation attractive to investors.

The two-day summit was organized by the United Nations International Telecommunication² Union, the African Union and the World Bank.