- Ultimate 5G experiences, ultra-broadband connectivity on show
- 100 university students trained by Huawei in ICT
- 100 more per year to benefit from Huawei ICT Academy
Following the recent Mobile World Congress 2023 (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Huawei recently hosted its first Telecom Congress in Botswana where a series of its simplified innovative network and data centre solutions were launched.
ICT industry organisations, government regulators, carriers and students from senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions participated in the conference in Gaborone where they shared experiences and exchanges viewpoints on key topics.
Speaking at the conference, the Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Thulagano Segokgo, applauded Huawei for heeding a request from the government to improve the ICT landscape in Botswana. “I thank you for taking the initiative of bringing the technologies displayed at the MWC (in Barcelona) to Botswana,” Segokgo said. The Managing Director of Huawei Botswana, David Zhang, described Botswana as one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
“For many years, Huawei has taken an active part in Botswana ICT planning and development and built successful relationships with local operators and enterprises, so as to support building ubiquitous connectivity and ICT sector in Botswana,” he said. “To showcase our commitment to promoting socio-economic development and stimulating the digital economy in Botswana, we have released a series of our latest products and solutions. “Our solutions are aimed at delivering ultimate 5G experiences, premium and intelligent ultra-broadband connectivity, digital and intelligent transformation.”
Zhang noted how access to ICT can empower Batswana to exercise their right to information and contribute to society in a meaningful way. It can also help bridge the digital divide and reduce inequality by providing access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, he added. He disclosed that because partnerships play a major role in value creation, HUAWEI intends to invest in more strategic partnerships to efficiently deliver innovative technologies to a broader market in the course of 2023.
“Huawei recognises that partnerships are essential for digital transformation because they allow organisations to tap into the expertise of others, gain access to new technologies and platforms, facilitate collaboration, mitigate risk, and scale their transformation efforts,” Zhang said. He noted that in addition to providing secure, stable and high-quality networks, Huawei actively fulfils its corporate social responsibility and supports Botswana’s socio-economic development through talent cultivation.
During the exhibition, Huawei held a forum under the theme “Information and Communications Technology for Youth Development and Employment” in which Zhang also participated. “”Talent is the key driving force for digital transformation,” he said. “Since 2019, Huawei has provided industry-leading ICT training to more than 100 Botswana university students through the ‘Seeds for the Future’ programme and Huawei ICT Academy.
“In the future, Huawei plans to provide communications training for 100 Botswana students every year.” Speaking at the forum, the Permanent Secretary of the comminications ministry, Pontsho Pusoetsile, emphasised the need for ICT training. “As a country, we need to make a commitment from both the government and the private sector about reskilling and upskilling to make the most of digital economy opportunities,” he said.
