Muhuru Bay: Communications Ministers and high-level representatives from Uganda, South Africa, and Kenya, alongside the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), convened to discuss strategies for fostering a prosperous and sustainable Africa through digital technologies. The participants signed a joint communiqué reiterating their commitment to inclusive development in sub-Saharan Africa during a ministerial-level forum hosted by ATU and the South African Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT).
According to Kenya News Agency, the forum, held from November 12-14, centered on leveraging ICT technologies to build a prosperous and inclusive Africa. Dr. Margaret Ndung’u, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy, shared insights on Kenya’s digitalization initiatives. She emphasized the country’s comprehensive approach to technology development, infrastructure building, access improvement, capacity building, and public awareness.
The co
mmuniqué outlined an agreement to prioritize ICT advancements, including the development of national cloud infrastructures and solar micro-grids to enhance electricity coverage. It also highlighted the need to expand network connectivity in rural areas and develop smart education systems to bridge the urban-rural divide.
The event marked Huawei’s third year of support for the Ministerial Forum at AfricaCom. This year, Huawei launched three position papers in collaboration with ATU, Digital Council Africa, and GSMA. These papers, co-authored with consultancies such as Roland Berger and Ernst and Young, propose policies based on Huawei’s global case studies.
Keynote speeches and panel discussions addressed infrastructure challenges and opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. John OMO, ATU’s Secretary General, emphasized the need to address infrastructure constraints, particularly in cloud services. Solly Malatsi, South Africa’s Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies, underscored the importance of i
ntegrating renewable energy with digital infrastructure for a sustainable digital transformation.
Uganda’s Minister of State for National Guidance, Kabbyanga Godfrey Baluku, shared Uganda’s vision for digital transformation through high-level policymaking and practical implementation. He highlighted the Uganda Digital Vision 2040 and the Digital Transformation Roadmap as crucial tools for achieving digital goals.
Dr. Li Zhengmao, Chairman of the World Broadband Association, shared China’s digitalization experience and its applicability to sub-Saharan Africa. Huawei confirmed its readiness to collaborate with all parties to support Africa’s digital and intelligent development.
The forum also introduced the Global Digitalization Index (GDI), developed with IDC, measuring a country’s ICT industry maturity. AfricaCom, a major ICT exhibition, hosted over 300 exhibitors and 15,000 participants this year.