Africa should not be beholden to US anti-China policy from President Trump’s administration. China and Africa have formed a closed relationship, collaborating to build vitally necessary infrastructure projects that the US and the West have refused to build over many decades. African nations have the right to have the most advanced technologies to realize their full economic potential on a continent rich with people and resources.
June 2, 2019
Huawei announced on May 31 that they had signed a three-year MOU to “improve the technical expertise of the African Union (AU) and to cooperate on key issues related to information and communication technologies,” according to Quartz Africa. Huawei and the AU will partner to strengthen sectors including the internet, cloud computing, broadband, 5G networks, artificial intelligence, and cyber-security, while also providing training for young people.
Since an MOU signed in 2015, people from across the AU have been hosted on tours to Huawei training centers in China. While the China-bashers in the U.S. are warning countries against Huawei spying on people, China is “trying to improve its competitive advantage in the continent,” Quartz Africa reports.
“The company is already one of the biggest phone brands operating in Africa, coming just behind China’s Transsion and South Korea’s Samsung in the smartphone space. Since starting its operations in Kenya in 1998, it has used a blend of pricing, customer service, brand awareness, and a vision to bridge the digital divide to penetrate the African market. Huawei has also reportedly built about 70% of Africa’s 4G networks, vastly outpacing competitors in the demand not just for internet but for improved and faster connectivity.”
“Huawei’s deal with the AU could also be seen in the context of trying to improve its competitive advantage in the continent. The company is already one of the biggest phone brands operating in Africa, coming just behind China’s Transsion and South Korea’s Samsung in the smartphone space. Since starting its operations in Kenya in 1998, it has used a blend of pricing, customer service, brand awareness, and a vision to bridge the digital divide to penetrate the African market.
“Huawei has also reportedly built about 70% of Africa’s 4G networks, vastly outpacing competitors in the demand not just for internet but for improved and faster connectivity.
“Under this agreement, we are pleased to consolidate our existing partnership with Huawei, a leading group in the fields of innovation and technological research,” Thomas Kwesi Quartey, the deputy chairperson of the AU said. “It is essential that we work closely with our partners to meet the digital transformation challenges of Africa.”