The PDG of Microsoft, Mr Steve Ballmer has affirmed the company's commitment to a partnership with Algeria. He said, "the policy of Microsoft is to pursue the aid for the development of information and communication technologies in Algeria."

Ballmer met with Algeria's president, Mr Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Mr Ballmer arrived in Algiers on the 4th of October 2007 and also met with the ministers of education and information and communication technologies.

In his press conference, Ballmer explained that the aims of his visit were to assess the country?s ICT needs and mainly in the education field.

He told reporters that he has charged his team to discuss a series of partnerships with Algerian entrepreneurs.

Mr Ballmer devoted parts of his speech to the importance of ICTs in the next decade and on their ability to change societies and improve a nation's economic performances.

He advised that for Algeria to have sound ICT polices, Algerians must learn from other countries with similar experiences by opening up the nation's unexploited potential.

Microsoft has been operating in Algeria for many years and it has an ambition to be a fundamental actor for the emergence of digital innovation in Algeria.

But, he emphasised that "all this can be operated under a global vision which enables individuals, enterprises and communities to have access to ICTs."