Global information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices provider, Huawei, has kicked off its 20 years in Africa celebrations at the recently concluded AfricaCom ICT event in Cape Town, South Africa.

Huawei Southern Africa President Li Peng reflected on the company’s remarkable growth journey on the continent at a gala dinner attended by VIP guests including South Africa’s Minister for Telecommunications and Postal Services, Dr. Siyabonga Cwele.

In 1998, Huawei sent a team from China to set up its business in Africa. Africa was among the first few locations Huawei chose as it started to expand out of China. Reflecting on the company’s remarkable growth journey in the region, Huawei Southern Africa President Li Peng said that over 20 years of working with partners to enhance ICT infrastructure and empower African people, Huawei had witnessed and contributed to the amazing changes and progress that have revolutionized the way people connect, learn and entertain.

“ICT plays an increasingly important role in enhancing development; as a reliable ICT partner in Africa, Huawei is dedicated to innovating around the needs of our customers and continuously pushing the boundaries of ICT to develop a diverse range of services tailored to local needs for the rapid growth of the telecom industry, and realization of national development strategies. We are committed to leapfrog the process of building a better connected Africa,” said Li Peng.

At the event, South Africa’s Minister for Telecommunications and Postal Services Dr. Siyabonga Cwele presented an Award of Excellence to Huawei South Africa for its outstanding contribution to ICT.

Dr. Cwele said: “Huawei is one of our most important partners. Huawei has grown to be one of the biggest technology companies today. We are inspired by the fact that it started out as an SMME.”

 In the past two decades, in partnership with governments and Telcos, Huawei has been boosting ICT infrastructure in the region, deploying first 2G, 3G, 4G and 4.5G networks respectively in various countries and conducted Africa’s first outdoor 5G Field Trial. Huawei also deployed ICT solutions including smart city and safe city in some countries to make them better destinations for living, visiting and investing.

In addition to providing customers with secure, stable, and high-quality communications networks, Huawei proactively fulfils its corporate social responsibility using its core technologies and capabilities.

 With two innovation centres in the region, Huawei strives to develop and nurture an ecosystem for joint efforts with industrial and academic partners in tailoring ICT solutions; with four training centres, Huawei has been bridging the digital divide and build a strong ICT talent pool through career certification programs, ICT training and talent development programs and sponsorships for cultural, education and sports initiatives.

“Huawei will continue its contribution to growing Africa’s telecoms industries and fully releasing ICT’s enabling power to enhance social economic development and to empower Africa’s most important asset, its people, with ICT knowledge and skills, with the goal to Bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.” Li Peng concluded.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains – telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services – we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

Huawei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes.