Microsoft congratulates Malta on Copenhagen outcome

Jean Philipe Courtois, president of Microsoft Corporation in Europe, Middle East and Africa, has expressed his company's and personal satisfaction at the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit, concluded last week.

He did this in an e-mail message sent to Local Government Minister Austin Gatt, who is pushing the partnership agreement between the government and the giant global software company.

In his message, Mr Courtois asked Dr Gatt to accept Microsoft's congratulations for this "remarkable achievement" and to convey Microsoft's wishes to the Prime Minister for the "best of success in the new era that Malta is entering".

Mr Courtois, who is also the senior vice-president of Microsoft Corporation, was in Malta this October to discuss the establishment of a long-term relationship with the government of Malta.

Microsoft's interest in partnering with the Maltese government was based primarily on the country's potential access to the EU and to its top-notch performance in the eEurope+ initiative of the European Commission.

Two of the major initiatives to be undertaken as a result of the agreement are the setting up of a state-of-the-art technology centre of excellence which will be unique in the region and a top-level IT academy which will serve to train and certify students in the latest Microsoft technology.