There is no understanding in a Memorandum of Understanding

Very recently we wrote about another Memorandum of Understanding, which serves as a method of excluding competition as a matter of principle. Realising loss of control, Microsoft seems keen on putting the shackles of obligation on whoever seems willing or can be compensated somehow.

The latest example and the latest victim appears to be West Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and Microsoft have signed two collaboration agreements to support social and economic development in Western Africa, according to an ECOWAS statement received here on Tuesday.

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According to the statement, the two agreements, a Memorandum of Understanding and Technical Collaboration Agreement, focused on enhancing community technology access, driving local enterprise and SME capacity building through ICT, and leveraging the advantages of e-applications in the education and health sectors.

This is also covered here and there is a related report here.

Microsoft, the world's largest software company, has signed an agreement with Comtel Integrators Africa that allows the latter to vend its products exclusively in the East and Southern African region

Remember what Microsoft did in Kenya and Nigeria quite recently in order to stifle GNU/Linux uptake. It's about lock-in. It's also about the young generation and a lot of corruption seems to be involved. ⬆