Ministers of Communications and Digital Technologies and the African
Telecommunications Union (ATU) member states, convened in Cape Town, South Africa, for the
Ministerial Forum on Building a Future-Oriented, Intelligent Digital Infrastructure for Africa. The
Forum was co-organised by the ATU and the Department of Communications and Digital
Technologies (DCDT) of South Africa, with the aim of advancing the digital transformation agenda in
Africa. The event concluded with the signing of a joint communique underlining the importance of
collaboration between all stakeholders in building a future-oriented digital infrastructure for Africa.
Taking place alongside AfricaCom, the continent’s premier ICT conference and exhibition, the forum
provided a platform for dialogue and an exchange of views on the development of a future-oriented
intelligent digital infrastructure in Africa, which is essential for achieving the socio-economic
development goals of the continent.
The event comes at a time when the development of the global digital economy has brought focus
on the need for Africa to strengthen the construction of high-speed networks (4G, 5G and fibre), the
implementation of high-performance cloud computing capabilities.
“In the space in which this forum operates, we have the ability to create consensus on which way to
go in building future-oriented digital infrastructure for Africa,” said African Telecommunications
Union (ATU) Secretary General, John Omo. “We know the place of digital infrastructure in the global
arithmetic that defines the compass of progress. We also know that to find our bearing on this
compass, we must be deliberate about the actions we take to protect the future of Africa.”
“I must note that it is also through the synergy of governments, private sector entities, research
institutions, and international organisations that we can realise the full potential of our collective
efforts,” he added. “What this means is that inclusivity should be a guiding principle as we shape the
future of digital infrastructure. We must ensure that the benefits of technological advancements
reach every corner of society, leaving no one behind.”
South African Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Philly Mapulane
concurred with the need for collaboration by players across the sector.
“This gathering marks a significant milestone in our collective pursuit of a digitally empowered
Africa,” he said. “We are here not merely as representatives of our respective nations and
organisations, but we are here as architects of a shared vision — one that envisions an Africa
propelled into a future where the possibilities of connectivity are boundless.”
“Today, we are not just building a digital infrastructure; we are laying the foundation for the socio-
economic emancipation of our continent,” he added. “Let us envision a future where our digital
infrastructure is seamless, intelligent, and accessible to all.”
Leo Chen, President of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa, underlined how much progress the continent has
made when it comes to building the digital infrastructure it needs while also outlining the areas that
still need improvement. These improvements, he said, are best achieved through the One Network,
One Cloud approach advocated by Huawei.
“To build One Network, countries should continue to build national broadband backbone networks
to serve as the arteries of national network connectivity,” he said. “In addition, such backbone
networks should be extensible across multiple domains.”
“This means they should be able to connect to different metropolitan area networks and campus
networks,” he added. “Similar to a highly-developed neural network, they will connect the last mile
of connectivity to meet the needs of different scenarios.”
According to Chen, the benefits of such a network would be considerable. Among the benefits he
listed were increased GDPs for countries across the region, enhanced government service delivery,
and improved connectivity for individual households. He also mentioned that due to the coverage
gap on the continent, it is still important to cover more people through wireless connectivity
technologies, such as 4G and 5G, and through rural connectivity solutions, such as Huawei’s
RuralStar.”
In dissecting the “One Cloud” segment of the approach, Chen outlined how important cloud
technologies have become at a nation-state level.
“The national cloud platform can serve as the foundation for a country's advanced technological
innovation, and can greatly improve the capabilities of governments and enterprises to adopt new
technologies,” he said.
“With the national cloud platform and cloud infrastructure, African countries can also unlock huge
potential in the ‘e-government’ cloud,” he added. “One example from China can represent a future
trend. In Shenzhen, where Huawei is headquartered, citizens can complete almost all of the
government service items with at most one visit to the service office, or without even making a
physical visit at all.”
According to Chen, “to implement One Network, One Cloud and ensure its steady progress, the
governments of all countries should provide strategic guidance and support through specific
policies.”
“As we continue our digital transformation journeys, it is important that we share our collective
wisdom, vision, and resolve,” Chen concluded. “Thus, it is very important that we share different
experiences and best practices across the continent when building the ‘One Network and One
Cloud’.”
Other dignitaries echoed the importance of collaboration for the future of African digital
infrastructure.
