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Africa, the Eldorado of the mobile Internet could also become the Mecca of the Open Government

The French develops there worldwide? French is the ninth most spoken language in the world, and the second language taught, with 116 million students, according to the International Organization of la Francophonie.

A report of IFM indicates that French is growing in Africa, mainly for demographic reasons, stagnated in North America, and declines in Europe. ( The French Language in the World 2010 , prefaced by Abdou Diouf, produced by the Observatory of French OIF)

In Africa, there has been some time since a boom phenomenal growth of mobile phones (333 million subscribers today against 88 million five years ago). Mobile internet and social media record the fastest growing in the world, said recently Mary Meeker (U.S. Internet analyst). This is a spectacular example of innovation! Africa has preceded the rest of the world in the transition from fixed to mobile telephony, said a report by the International Telecommunication Union ( Measuring the Information Society ).

In this eldorado Mobile Internet, economic development, political and social becomes feasible. Several African states may soon be ripe for introducing open governance.

Jon von Tetzchner " The accessibility of mobile phones means that the mobile Internet can allow tens of millions of people to connect, much more than Web cables," said Jon von Tetzchner, co-founder of Opera (web browser for mobile phones).

It remains still some clouds on the horizon. The cost of access to the Internet remain exorbitant: an African must spend on average 17.7% of his gross monthly income, against 1.1% only for a European, says the International Telecommunication Union.

currently live in Africa for nearly half of the Francophone world.

The International Organization of la Francophonie expects that by 2050 there will be 85% of Francophone Africa.

Imagine what that might mean for the development of French on the Internet and the world, if you combine these statistics with the advance of faster Internet mobile and social media. Add to this imaginary portrait of open governance, focusing on transparency, participation and collaboration.

New technologies provide an unparalleled opportunity for building a democratic society in African countries. Fostering the development of Open Government in Africa, it would allow African citizens to express their views freely, give them the opportunity to contribute to discussions and participate in government projects. And by extension, with the scanning of numerous public data, there would be an unprecedented expansion of the language French on the Internet.