China continues its strategy of increasing its activities in Africa through Chinese companies
China’s Huawei is reported to be planning a substantial investment of $430 million in North Africa, focusing on establishing its inaugural cloud center in the region and offering training to numerous developers and technology experts. Huawei’s President for Northern Africa made this announcement in Shanghai.
The “Intelligent Future” initiative comprises a $200 million allocation for constructing the first cloud center in North Africa. Based on reports, it is understood that an additional $200 million will be directed towards supporting 200 local technology partners and 1,300 distributors. Furthermore, $30 million has been earmarked for training 10,000 local developers and 100 technology specialists in North Africa.
Huawei, one of the leading tech giants in the world has been actively expanding its presence in the Middle East and North Africa. In September 2023, the company inaugurated a cloud data center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which is poised to bolster government services and facilitate Arabic language AI applications. Huawei has also committed to investing $400 million in cloud services in Saudi Arabia over the next four years. Additionally, in February 2022, the Saudi Digital Academy entered into a memorandum of understanding with Huawei to foster local talent in information technology and communication by sponsoring 8,000 Saudis at Huawei-accredited centers.
It’s important to note that the United States has cautioned Middle Eastern countries against engaging in business with Huawei, citing security concerns associated with the company.
