22 December 2003

Timbuktu, Mali: The President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré and Mohammed Cissé, Mayor of Timbuktu, on 20 December launched the City of Timbuktu’s official internet site www.tombouctou.net at the Timbuktu community Telecenter. The “mayor’s on-line office” is a UN Volunteers e-governance pilot project designed by volunteers.

The project’s core objective is to bring government and other key decision-makers, both public and private, closer to the people. Timbuktu’s growing need for information has also drawn considerable attention from private sector groups including Afrique Initiatives, a Brussels-based group that contributes to development in Africa through private sector investments, and its partner, Groupement Malien d’Informatique. The two groups have joined UNV, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and professional associations to build and maintain the new web site.

The portal itself contains information for local people and for those who plan to visit. The “Mayor’s office at your service” section features actual commodity prices, job vacancies and political information for the people of Timbuktu. Those thinking of visiting this historic town in northern Mali, can read about the city’s history and culture or even book hotel rooms by visiting the “At the heart of Timbuktu” section of the site.

At a special event during the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, the website was introduced by Mayor Cissé and Ad de Raad, Executive Coordinator, a.i. of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme. “The Timbuktu on-line mayor’s office is a project that could serve as a model for similar initiatives in other remote communities, not just in Africa. It is also a concrete example of a positive partnership between a local government, a UN programme and the private sector” he said.