Huawei reconnects with South Sudan

By Mthulisi Sibanda, Contributor
Johannesburg, 09 Feb 2026
Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan minister of information, communication technology, and postal services.
Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan minister of information, communication technology, and postal services.

Huawei and South Sudan have rekindled their relationship more than a decade after a dramatic rift between the technology company and the East African country.

The engagement process is being overseen by Ateny Wek Ateny, minister of information, communication technology, and postal services, and Huawei's newly appointed CEO, Wang Shibo.

Shibo has held the role since December 2025. This past weekend, he met with Ateny to pledge the Chinese-headquartered company's commitment to expanding industry partnerships.

At the meeting in Juba, they discussed ways to help South Sudan accelerate its digital transformation through partnerships.

“He also reaffirmed Huawei’s continued presence in the South Sudanese ICT sector,” Ateny said of Shibo.

Tensions between the business and South Sudan arose in 2014, when government officials accused Huawei of hacking government emails and forging documents.

It was a messy consequence, with suspicions alleged forgery intended to damage a contract handed to Huawei's competitor, ZTE.

Huawei attributed the falsified letter to a junior employee who was not authorised to speak with the ICT ministry.

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