By Cedric Nkungula

President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has  acknowledged Huawei Technologies’ significant contributions, stating that Malawi has reaped considerable benefits from the exceptional services provided by the company.

President Chakwera made the remarks on Tuesday in Beijing, China.
during an interface with Li Junfeng, Vice President of Huawei Technologies and Chief Executive Officer of Global Public Services.

“The company’s footprint in our nation has notably grown over the years, and the community greatly values the cutting-edge solutions offered, ranging from smart devices to advanced digital services,” said Chakwera.

The president expressed appreciation for the collaboration between Huawei and various Malawian government agencies aimed at enhancing connectivity, such as the Last Mile Rural Connectivity Project, which intends to provide ICT services to approximately 85% of the rural population in Malawi.

“My administration is firmly dedicated to partnering with Huawei to ensure that advanced technology facilitates access to skills and knowledge for as many Malawians as possible,” he noted.

President Chakwera urged Huawei to collaborate further with his administration on initiatives such as the Smart Village Initiative for rural communities, the establishment of technical training centers for ICT to enhance digital skills among youth, smart agriculture solutions to support large-scale farming initiatives and enhancing cybersecurity for Malawi’s digital landscape.

Additionally, the Malawi leader pointed out that the successful implementation of the ATM Strategy, which focuses on agribusiness, tourism and mining, relies heavily on access to energy.

The President said initiatives such as the mini-grid system, which Huawei has donated to Lilongwe Rural, are critical to the nation’s priorities.

In his speech, Li Junfeng, Vice President of Huawei Technologies and Chief Executive Officer of Global Public Services pledged to continue its investments in Malawi, supporting the country’s ambitions of turning smart as outlined in the Malawi 2063 Vision.

“Our investment portfolio continues to expand in Malawi, and we will persist in our efforts until we achieve Your Excellency’s vision of a smart Malawi,” declared Li.