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The Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative was introduced in July, 2000, as a program to provide opportunities for IT training in an effort to bridge the digital divide in the LDCs of the world. Following the G-8 Summit, Cisco Systems, Inc., United Nations Development Program, the US Agency for International Development (Leland Initiative/EDDI), and United Nations Volunteers (UNITeS), announced the formation of this strategic partnership to help train students in LDCs for jobs in the Internet economy. The addition of the International Telecommunication Union in 2002, signaled even further support for the program. These partnerships have created opportunities for skills development in participating countries, empowering them to accelerate progress, attain sustainable development, and fully integrate into the world economy.
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Participating Countries While many countries share common challenges to development and goals for high-tech training, each one has a unique perspective on creating an Academy. Cisco Networking Academies throughout LDCs have contributed profiles of their countries, Academies, instructors, and students to enrich international understanding. Regional reports and instructor training offer an up-to-date view of the Progress of this initiative. >> More |
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About the Initiative The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Initiative aims to extend the Cisco Networking Academy Program to meet the urgent development needs of LDCs. By training a workforce to build and maintain an Internet infrastructure, the initiative partners expect to accelerate the LDCs' progress towards full integration into the world economy. >> More |
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About The Partners To achieve the goals of the LDC initiative, Cisco Systems partners with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Leland Initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS). Each partner contributes their expertise and staff resources to make the project a success. The teams consult at all levels on a regular basis to ensure consistency, feedback at the country level, efficient implementation and measurable results. >> More |
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LDC News & Events Learn what is new in the LDC Initiative and access information about upcoming and past events. >> More |
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Getting Involved Learn how to become involved and find more information on the LDC Initiative. >> More |