The former president of Tanzania is to chair a 17-person advisory council for Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative.

Introduced in February 2013, the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is a bid by the company to help boost Africa’s economic development and improve its global competitiveness.

And according to a Microsoft statement, the advisory council is an external board of advisers tasked with guiding strategic investments undertaken by the Microsoft 4Afrika initiative across Africa.

The council is expected to meet in person twice annually and also hold regionally focused meetings at other times during the year, reads the statement.

The advisory council is planned to be chaired by the former president of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa, with managing director of Microsoft South Africa, Mteto Nyati, serving as the vice chair.

“I am deeply honoured to chair the 4Afrika Advisory Council and to represent this prestigious group of council members because we all believe deeply in Microsoft 4Afrika’s mission to help Africa improve its global competitiveness,” Mkapa said.

He added, “Together with the Microsoft team, we look forward to helping to grow African leaders, encourage and support African businesses and highlight African innovation here on the continent and on the world stage.”

Other members of the 4Afrika advisory council include Juliana Rotich, executive director for Ushahidi and senior TED fellow from Kenya; Hanan Abdelmeguid.

Microsoft has also revealed that four additional spots were made available on the council to be occupied by youth leaders from the continent.

“As established influencers and innovators in Africa, we know that this group composing the 4Afrika Advisory Council will make highly impactful contributions to Microsoft 4Afrika’s efforts to shape development priorities across the continent with the use of technology as an enabler,” Nyati said.

He concluded, “Not only will the group help Microsoft 4Afrika to understand and engage in existing areas of untapped potential, but we are confident it will also help us break new ground within the initiative’s targeted sectors, including healthcare, education and small business enablement.”