A African Telecommunication Union (ATU) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the technology giant in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi Huawei, which will enable African countries and organizations to build capacity for ICT transformation.
Under the agreement, Huawei will provide skills development training, including re-skilling and re-skilling for ATU members. The MoU will also see the two organizations collaborate to support local innovation, share information on the latest trends, challenges and solutions in Africa and globally, and expand the digital economy as well as rural connectivity across the continent by deepening research.
“The MoU will also see the two organizations collaborate to support local innovation, share information on the latest trends, challenges and solutions in Africa and globally, and expand the digital economy as well as rural connectivity across the continent through in-depth research ,” said John Omo, secretary general of ATU in a statement issued in Nairobi.
Samuel Chen, Vice President of the Huawei Region for Africa commended ATU for its leadership and promotion of ICTs in Africa. "ATU is playing a critical role in the region, supporting member countries with its policies and strategies, sharing best practices, building capacity and driving innovation, and we are delighted to be able to support them."
A 2019 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report on digital economies established that Africa and Latin America together represent less than 5 percent of the world's data centers. Left unchecked, the report concluded, divisions will exacerbate existing income inequalities. This, coupled with the fact that in least-developed countries 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.
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of intelligent information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and devices. We have more than 197.000 employees and operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people worldwide.
