Ghana: Huawei introduces collaborative fellowship with ITU

Huawei has successfully extended connectivity to approximately 90 million individuals in remote areas across nearly 80 countries, fulfilling its commitment to the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition. This achievement was disclosed in Huawei’s inaugural progress report since becoming a part of the coalition last year.

Chairman of the Board of Huawei, Dr. Liang Hua, made the announcement at the company’s 2023 Sustainability Forum which is themed ‘Thriving Together with Tech: Realizing Sustainable Development’. The event also brought together Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Secretary-General of ITU; Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development; as well as representatives from telecommunications ministries and regulators, including some from Pakistan and Ghana. Attendees explored how digital infrastructure can better drive sustainable development and help build a greener and more inclusive intelligent world.

“Next-generation digital infrastructure, like connectivity and computing power, are as vital to driving socio-economic development as our physical infrastructure, – just like roads. This new infrastructure will be crucial to sustainable development for all of society,” Dr. Liang said. “Computing is a core driver of productivity in the digital economy. Faster roll-out of computing infrastructure will help speed up digital transition in many industries and promote deeper integration of the digital and real economies. This can further promote global economic stability and sustainable development.”

Further adding to Dr. Liang’s comment, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Secretary-General of ITU, said: “Let’s not choose between tech and sustainable development. We need both! Let’s thrive together with tech. Let’s build a digital future that advances progress for people and planet”.

Huawei firmly believes digital talent is key to future technological innovation. To foster more widespread digital engagement and develop future leaders, the company has deepened its partnership with ITU by launching a fellowship called “ITU Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme in Partnership with Huawei”.

The fellowship application will be available for submission in the early months of the upcoming year, spanning a three-year duration. Annually, a cohort of 30 young visionaries aged 18-28, hailing from diverse corners of the globe, will be granted support for their projects focused on leveraging digital technology to propel community development.

Jeff Wang, President of Huawei’s Public Affairs and Communications Department, noted: “Huawei is proud to partner with ITU for this important cause, and to see young visionaries making a tangible impact for digital inclusion all across the world. The support that participants will receive includes financial contributions to their projects, mentoring from ITU and Huawei experts, and opportunities to participate in joint events.

“Through ITU and Huawei’s joint efforts, young people will learn, contribute and lead in the digital world,” said Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau. “Digital is a prerequisite for accelerating the achievement of the SDGs. We want the youth to push the envelope on the evolving global digital ecosystem and make their transformative contributions. I thank Huawei for this great partnership, and I look forward to seeing the global impact of this innovative project.”

The P2C Coalition, initiated by the ITU, is dedicated to promoting substantial connectivity and global digital transformation, with a specific focus on underserved communities in countries and regions facing digital access challenges. Huawei formally committed to this global initiative last year, pledging to extend connectivity to approximately 120 million individuals in remote areas across over 80 countries by 2025. In a noteworthy achievement, Huawei has already facilitated 2,066 training opportunities in Cambodia, the ITU’s inaugural P2C partner country.