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MTN Rwanda speeds digital transformation journey

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from PHYLLIS BIRORI in Kigali, Rwanda
KIGALI, (CAJ News) – MTN Rwanda is deploying a Network Operations Centre (NOC) to enhance consumer experience.

The mobile operator has signed a five-year deal with Ericsson to deploy the centre.

Ericsson’s Managed Services solution will deliver an automation-driven Information Technology (IT) operation.

The new agreement is a milestone in MTN Rwanda’s modernisation and digital transformation journey.

MTN Rwanda’s NOC and the Incidents Management tools will be automated, enabling further business opportunities.

Eugen Gakwerere, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Rwanda said the latest collaboration with Ericsson is further testament of their long-term partnership.

MTN embraces digital transformation to maximise efficiencies and to improve service, he said.

“In deploying and implementing this solution, Ericsson is supporting us in our digital transformation journey which is essential to us providing next generation services to our customers,” Gakwerere said.

MTN and Ericsson have solid ties.

The operator selected Ericsson as the partner to launch its GSM mobile system networks in 1998.

In 2009, MTN launched its 3G network through Ericsson.

In 2013, MTN launched Ericsson’s Mobile Money platform.

“The five-year agreement is a recognition of our operational performance as MTN Rwanda’s trusted partner for decades and also in our efforts to propel #AfricaInMotion,” said Nicolas Blixell, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit MTN and Customer Unit MTN Africa at Ericsson Middle East and Africa.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

SADC commits to peace in Great Lakes region

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from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc has reiterated its commitment to peace in the volatile Great Lakes region (GLR).

SADC, the 16-country bloc, has concluded a meeting regarding the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the GLR.

The event also focused on the forthcoming Summit of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the PSC Framework.

Elias Mpedi Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary, reiterated SADC’s continued commitment, particularly the SADC Secretariat, in working with the GLR in processes to consolidate peace, stability and support to peace building and regional cooperation in that region.

He was speaking during a recent virtual courtesy call by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the GLR, Huang Xia.

Huang disclosed that the UN was in the process of reviewing the implementation of the Action Plan since its adoption in July 2021.

“This is an opportunity for SADC to join in participatory processes and make contributions,” the envoy said.

SADC member states, namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia are in the GLR.

Other GLR countries are Central African Republic (CAR), Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan.

– CAJ News

Digital transformation tops African countries’ agenda

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by MTHULISI SIBANDA 
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AFRICAN countries are realising the benefits of digital transformation and have set it as a national priority.

Among these are Botswana, the Southern African nation and Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy.

Huawei, the Chinese-headquartered global technology company, is key player in these countries’ transformation.

Botswana has developed a digital transformation strategy – SmartBots- to deliver government services.

Thulaganyo Merafe Segokgo, Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Communications, said implementations of these programmes continued to help the government develop into a knowledge-based economy.

“There is the opportunity for accelerated growth with the right investments,” he added.

Segokgo pointed out that partnerships with private companies, such as Huawei, were crucial to achieving the growth.

Joe Mucheru, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications, said Kenya intends to maintain the momentum and speed up the development of the digital economy.

“We believe we can address the critical issues needed to enable a digital economy,” he added.

Mucheru said the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta strongly believed in partnership with the private sector.

“Going forward, we will be focusing more on driving innovation at the grassroots level,” he said.

The government officials were speaking at the Digital Africa Summit, Huawei Technologies hosted at the AfricaCom.

Expert speakers engaged on Africa’s digital transformation, the strides made during the COVID-19 pandemic and the path still ahead.

Yang Chen, Vice President, Huawei Southern Africa, pointed out the digital economy already accounted for more than 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in some African countries.

He said that number could be more than doubled in countries that take a committed approach to digital transformation.

“Digitalisation spurs the development of new industries such as ecommerce and eGovernment,” Chen said.

“It also disrupts existing industries to ensure lower costs and higher productivity and can empower emerging technologies like renewable energy. Digital technologies also increase economic resilience against shocks like COVID-19,” he added.

The annual AfricaCom was held virtually amid the COVID-19.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

Millat commits millions in business tourism

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by SAVIOUS KWINIKA 
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – MILLAT Investments’ commitment of R300 million on new hotels is a mark of confidence in South Africa’s leisure and business tourism sector.

It is a boost to the wider recovery of the economy, with more than 150 direct jobs and almost 400 indirect jobs created during the rollout over 18 months.

The Hyatt House Hotel in Sandton is the latest facility to be opened.

The global Hyatt group manages the hotel.

It follows the launch of Hyatt Regency Cape Town, the first Hyatt-branded property in the Mother City.

A second Hyatt House hotel will open in Rosebank, Johannesburg, in the coming weeks.

This is part of a bigger rollout strategy, with more hotel sites currently under evaluation.

Hamza Farooqui, Millat’s Chief Executive Officer, believes the hospitality sector’s untapped potential is not being fully maximised in South Africa.

A greater display of confidence and more investment can grow the sphere exponentially in coming years, he said.

Musician

Local musician entertaining guests at the official launch for Hyatt House Sandton

Farooqui said apart from South Africa’s globally recognised internal destinations and abundant sunshine, the country has excellent supporting infrastructure ranging from transport, communications and health services.

These are all pre-requisites for effective tourism.

“Our job as a country is to use those enablers to encourage higher visitor volumes. And when that happens, there is a positive knock-on effect on the economy,” Farooqui said.

Peter Fulton, Hyatt’s Group President for Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA), has been in South Africa as part of Millat’s launch week.

“His presence indicates how seriously his organisation is about South African expansion and the overall potential of the business travel and tourism sector in the region,” Farooqui said.

The new Hyatt House Sandton has newly refurbished suites that range from a one bedroomed apartment to spacious three-bedroomed accommodation that can cater for a small family of holiday makers or business expatriates working in Johannesburg.

Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, welcomed the Hyatt House Sandton business into the country’s economic hub saying such investments would create jobs while boosting the country’s economy.

Makhura said Gauteng province lost a total of 650 000 jobs between March 2020 and 2021 periods.

“This investment (Hyatt House Sandton) has created 150 jobs. We want more tourists to come to Gauteng. Every tourist who comes here creates jobs,” said Makhura.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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