Ethio Telecom and a Ugandan delegation delve into strategic collaborations for digital enhancement and empowerment.
Ethio Telecom, one of Africa's leading telecommunications companies, recently hosted a high-level Ugandan delegation led by Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs. The discussions, which took place at Ethio Telecom, were aimed at exploring potential collaboration opportunities to support Uganda's Vision 2040 and drive smart urban development in Kampala.
Both parties expressed confidence that this collaboration could be instrumental in achieving Uganda's Vision 2040, a plan that aims to transition Uganda from a peasant economy to a middle-income country by 2040, including the goal of bringing 95% of government services online.
The potential partnership focuses on advancing Uganda’s digital transformation and Kampala’s smart urban development ambitions. Key areas of collaboration include smart city solutions, telecom and digital infrastructure development, digital payment platforms, capacity building, skills training, technology transfer, and experience sharing.
In the realm of smart city solutions, Ethio Telecom showcased its innovations, such as data centers and smart city infrastructure including Ethiopia’s electric vehicle charging stations. The company emphasized its focus on human-centered digital transformation, with the aim of boosting productivity and creating job opportunities.
The discussions also delved into enhancing Uganda’s telecom networks and broadband coverage, aligned with the national digital roadmap to extend backbone networks to districts and cities, expand broadband to 90% of the territory, and improve internet connectivity for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Moreover, the parties explored opportunities to develop and enhance digital financial services, a crucial aspect of Uganda’s digital transformation.
Capacity building, skills training, and technology transfer were also highlighted as key areas of collaboration. Ethio Telecom aims to share its expertise to empower Uganda’s workforce and government in digital skills and technology application.
The Ugandan delegation toured Ethio Telecom's experience center, data center, smart city initiatives, and Ethiopia's first electric vehicle charging station, gaining insights into Ethio Telecom's innovative approaches to technology deployment.
Frehiwot Tamru, CEO of Ethio Telecom, emphasized the importance of this potential partnership, calling for pan-African collaboration to transform challenges into opportunities, harness technology, and build an inclusive, connected, and competitive continent.
Talks are at an early stage with no formal agreement yet signed. However, the potential partnership seeks to co-create impactful, future-ready digital solutions that directly contribute to Uganda's socio-economic development and Kampala's smart urban development aspirations.
[1] Uganda Vision 2040 [2] Ethio Telecom
- The collaboration between Uganda and Ethio Telecom, as part of Uganda Vision 2040, aims to drive smart urban development in Kampala by focusing on advancing digital transformation, smart city solutions, and digital infrastructure development.
- A key aspect of this potential partnership involves enhancing Uganda's telecom networks, broadband coverage, and digital financial services, and transferring technology and skills to empower Uganda's workforce and government.
- Ethio Telecom's innovations, such as data centers, smart city infrastructure, and electric vehicle charging stations, were showcased during the discussions, highlighting the company's emphasis on human-centered digital transformation for boosting productivity and creating job opportunities.
