Huawei, the Chinese tech company, has inked a deal to provide African Telecommunications Union (ATU) member countries and organisations with ICT skills training, as well as help them build capacity for digital transformation.

Huawei says the new agreement will see the company support African countries, regulators and citizens to transition to a digital economy, adopt new technologies, promote secure and resilient networks, as well as gain the digital skills necessary to drive their economies forward.

The organisations will also collaborate to support local innovation and share information on the latest trends, challenges and solutions in Africa and globally.

The partnership will help expand the digital economy as well as rural connectivity on the continent.

“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,” says Samuel Chen, vice-president, Huawei Southern Africa region.

“We have 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 our customers and regulators; we look forward to doing even more.”

Commenting on the partnership, John Omo, secretary-general of the ATU, in Nairobi, Kenya, at the ATU headquarters, says: “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 organisation is a trusted development partner of Africa. The document we are signing today aims at strengthening this partnership. Africa has a tremendous opportunity to fully grasp the potential from new technologies.”