This archive report was first published on 26 June 2021.
On June 26, 2021, the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and tech giant Huawei signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership in promoting digital transformation in Africa.
Under the agreement, Huawei will provide training on skills development, including reskilling and upskilling for ATU members, to help them adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape. The MoU also aims to support local innovation, share information on the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in Africa and globally, and expand the digital economy and rural connectivity in the continent through further research.
The partnership is motivated by the need to address the existing digital divide in Africa, where the continent and Latin America together account for less than 5% of the world's data centers, according to a 2019 report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The report warned that if left unaddressed, the divide would worsen existing income inequalities.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. John OMO, Secretary-General of the ATU, praised Huawei for its contributions to Africa, saying, “Huawei has transformed connectivity and made a major contribution to the continent through its investments in digital infrastructure, ICT skills, environmentally-friendly connectivity solutions, and cutting-edge technologies for rural areas. The organization is a trusted development partner of Africa. The document we are signing today aims at strengthening this partnership.”
Samuel Chen, Vice President at Huawei Southern Africa region, thanked the ATU for its leadership and promotion of ICTs in Africa, saying, “The ATU is playing a critical role in the region supporting member countries with their policies and strategies, sharing best practices, building capacity and driving innovation and we are delighted to be able to support them”. He noted that Huawei has connected hundreds of millions of Africans to secure, high-speed broadband and cloud solutions in the last two decades and earned the trust and support of its customers and regulators.
