This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
The Internet is a system of electronic communication. It helpspeople share information, communicate with family and friends, andstart businesses. But these people must have use of a computer, andknow how to use it. And they must have a connection, usually througha telephone line or an Internet center. All this costs money. Formany poor people, a so-called “digital divide” exists. People whocannot connect to the Internet become poorer, while those who canbecome richer.
The United Nations is working to solve this problem. In December,it will hold a conference in Geneva, Switzerland, called the WorldSummit on the Information Society. Political and business leaderswill come together with delegates from non-governmentalorganizations, educational groups and others. They will discuss thefast-growing information technology industry and its effects on theworld.
U-N organizers say they hope the gathering will lead to apolitical declaration and action plan. The goal is to bridge thedigital divide between rich and poor nations. A second conference,to examine progress, will take place in Tunisia intwo-thousand-five.
U-N Secretary General Kofi Annanrecently spoke to business leaders at a meeting in New York. MisterAnnan urged them to take part in the World Summit on the InformationSociety. He told them that industry can play an important part inlimiting technological differences between countries. He noted thatsome companies already support efforts to improve Internet skillsamong poor Americans. The U-N secretary general urged businesses toalso look for projects in developing countries.
Cisco Systems in San Jose, California, is one company thatalready does that. In nineteen-ninety-seven, Cisco began a specialprogram to teach Internet technology skills to people around theworld. Today, the Cisco Networking Academy has spread toone-hundred-forty-five nations.
Mister Annan says more ideas like this are needed to close thedigital divide. He says information technology is not a magic answerfor poor nations, but it can lead to peace and development. He saysnews and information provided through the Internet helps buildtrade, employment, good government and democracy around the world.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss.