Huawei launches joint fellowship with the ITU and advances digital inclusion
4 minutes read
- 90 million people connected thanks to Huawei’s commitment to the ITU’s Partner2Connect digital coalition.
[Dongguan, China, November 2023] Huawei announced that it has already brought connectivity to 90 million people living in remote areas of almost 80 countries through its commitment to the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect (P2C) digital coalition. The announcement was made as part of Huawei’s first progress report since joining the coalition last year.
Dr. Liang Hua, Chairman of the Board of Huawei, made the announcement at the company’s Sustainability Forum 2023, themed “Thrive with Tech: Making Sustainable Development a Reality”.
The event also brought together Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU; Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development; and representatives of telecommunications ministries and regulators, including from Pakistan and Ghana. Participants discussed how digital infrastructure can better drive sustainable development and help build a greener, more inclusive intelligent world.
“Next-generation digital infrastructure, such as connectivity and computing power, is as vital to driving socioeconomic development as our physical infrastructure, such as roads. This new infrastructure will be crucial for the sustainable development of society as a whole,” said Dr. Liang. “Computing is an essential driver of productivity in the digital economy. Faster deployment of computing infrastructure will help accelerate the digital transition in many industries and promote deeper integration of the digital and real economies. In turn, this will further foster global economic stability and sustainable development.”
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU, added to Dr. Liang’s comments: “It’s not about choosing between technology and sustainable development. We need both. Let’s thrive together with technology. Let’s build a digital future that advances progress for people and the planet.”
Huawei firmly believes that digital talent is key to future technological innovation. To foster broader digital engagement and develop future leaders, the company has deepened its partnership with the ITU by launching a fellowship called the “ITU Generation Connect Young Leaders Programme in partnership with Huawei”.
The fellowship will open early next year and run for three years. Each year, 30 young visionaries (aged 18 to 28) from around the world will receive support for their projects using digital technology to drive community development.
Jeff Wang, President of Huawei’s Public Affairs and Communications Department, said: “Huawei is proud to partner with the ITU on this important cause, and to see young visionaries make a tangible impact for digital inclusion around the world. The support participants will receive includes financial contributions to their projects, mentoring from ITU and Huawei experts, and opportunities to take part in joint events.”
“Thanks to the joint efforts of the ITU and Huawei, young people will learn, contribute and lead in the digital world,” said Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. “Digital is a prerequisite for accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.
We want young people to take the lead in 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, launched by the ITU, promotes meaningful connectivity and digital transformation worldwide, prioritising remote communities in countries and regions that lack digital access. Huawei signed the global agreement last year, setting targets to bring connectivity to around 120 million people in remote areas in more than 80 countries by 2025. To date, Huawei has provided 2,066 training opportunities in Cambodia, the first partner country of the ITU’s P2C, in collaboration with local ministries and universities.
About Huawei
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have approximately 197,000 employees and operate in over 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world.
Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organisation for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where and when it is needed; build digital platforms to help all industries and organisations become more agile, efficient and dynamic; and redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalised for people in all aspects of their life, whether they are at home, in the office or on the go.
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