The Ivorian government has reached an agreement with Chinese telecom operator Huawei to strengthen its ICT industry. The deal was signed in Abidjan yesterday October 8 between Huawei’s Vice President for West Africa, Li Yungao, and Mamadou Sanogo, the Ivorian Minister of Digital Economy and Post.

Under this partnership, Huawei will assist Côte d’Ivoire in designing its national digital economy strategy called “Côte d’Ivoire Numérique 2030” (Digital Côte d’Ivoire 2030). The Chinese firm will also assist in setting up a broadband development strategy; carrying out a study for the establishment of a normative framework for access to very high-speed broadband in the information society and assistance in promoting accessibility for people with disabilities for inclusive development of the digital economy.

Li Yungao expressed the wish that the memorandum of understanding - which strengthens the existing cooperation framework between the two parties since November 28, 2016 - will be translated “into a strong political will and concrete actions on the ground for a digitalized Côte d'Ivoire by 2030.”