Global Technology Centre in Accra

A Global Technology Centre has been established in Accra by the Sister Cities Foundation, a cross-cultural organisation supported financially by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda.  

The technology centre is the first of its kind on the continent and is charged with promoting sister city relationships between Africa and developed nations –through use of technology – to improve Africa’s socio-economic development.

The centre is part of the three-year “African Urban Poverty Alleviation” programme to improve the provision of health, sanitation and water in 25 African countries. Gates provided the Sister Cities Foundation with a grant of $7.5 million for the African programme.

The centre, which opened on 11 March, will also provide ICT training for community leaders, chief executives and local government officials.

Founded in the US in 1956, Sister Cities International has a network of over 650 US cities with more than 1,900 sister city relationships in 135 countries on six continents. In Africa, it has 124 partnerships in 32 countries.