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The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) recently signed, in the capital of Kenya, (Nairobi), a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with technology giant Huawei, which will see African countries and organizations develop capabilities for ICT transformation.
Under the agreement, Huawei will provide skills development training, including reskilling, to ATU members. The MoU will also see the two organizations collaborate to support local innovation, share information pertaining to the latest trends, challenges, solutions in Africa and globally, expand the digital economy, as well as rural connectivity, on the continent through future research.
A 2019 report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on digital economies established that Africa and Latin America together represent less than 5 percent of the world’s data centers. If this is not addressed, the report concluded, divisions will worsen existing income inequalities. This, coupled with the fact that in least developed countries (LDCs), only one in five people use the Internet, compared to four in five in developed countries, is part of the motivation for the Huawei-ATU partnership.
Speaking during the signing ceremony held today in Nairobi, Kenya, at the ATU headquarters, Mr. John OMO, Secretary General of the ATU, praised Huawei for its contribution to Africa: “Huawei has transformed connectivity and made a huge contribution to the continent through its investments in digital infrastructure, ICT skills, eco-friendly connectivity solutions and cutting-edge technologies for rural areas. The organization is a trusted development partner for Africa. The document we signed today aims to strengthen this partnership.” “Africa has a great opportunity to fully harness the potential of new technologies,” he added.
The two organizations have a long history of working together and this new agreement will help African countries, regulators and citizens, benefit from the transition to a digital economy, adopt new technologies, promote secure and resilient networks and acquire the digital skills needed to leverage your savings.
Samuel Chen, Vice President of Huawei for the Southern Africa region thanked ATU for its leadership and promotion of ICT in Africa: “ATU is playing a crucial role in the region, supporting member countries with their policies and strategies, sharing best practices, building capabilities and driving innovation and we are delighted to be able to support them.” He stated: “We have connected hundreds of millions of Africans to secure high-speed broadband and cloud solutions over the past two decades and have earned the trust and support of our customers and regulators; We look forward to doing more.”
Under the MoU, the partners will also begin offering ATU members cutting-edge training, access to global experts to discuss the latest technologies and trends, and research collaboration to help progress the continent’s digitalization.
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices with more than 197,000 employees in more than 170 countries.