ZTE Corporation, a Chinese multinational company, partly owned by the Chinese government shared its latest solutions and its vision at a well-attended gathering at Sheraton Addis on Wednesday May 24. The theme of the conference was – “Power the Future for the Ethiopian Industry”.
As Ethiopia attempts to reach industrialized status in less than a decade, it has made a concentrated attempt to lure foreign investors and China has been its most preferred destination.
Fresh from an audience with Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn with ZTE president Zhao Xianming at the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) forum in Beijing, ZTE Ethiopia CEO, Jack Li gave a presentation on the pioneering work of the company in Ethiopia, now in its 17th year.
He reflected on some of the works including its efforts, such as the establishment of the enterprise network sales center that integrated IT solutions in areas of energy, transportation and public utilities. According to the president, “It was also instrumental in how it helped integrate professional and efficient integrated solutions with over 30 cross-application scenarios and over 80 industry oriented sub-programs”.
ZTE is believed to be a pioneering company in Ethiopia, having ventured much earlier than most multinational Chinese companies. It has had a long-term cooperation on the telecom, ICT and now electricity to strengthen the partnership, as the power sector in Ethiopia continues to show much promise.
The Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) and Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) are long-term partners of the company. As communication network solutions, it is known to provide security, scalability and manageability for creating end-to-end smart grid communication network.
One of the leading comprehensive telecommunications and ICT solution providers in the world, it was the one of the first to take advantage of the potential of the private network department in Ethiopia. It has been a trusted partner on a slew of government projects, including the establishment of expanded mobile phone network and the increase of 3G internet access across the country.
The company is also in the process of leveraging its 5G and smart cities technology across many countries, including within Ethiopia.
On his frequent visits to China and to the HQ of ZTE, Prime Minister Hailemariam has praised the company as a “significant trustworthy strategic partner to Ethiopia” and one he hopes “that both parties will enhance the cooperation in the future”.
