Huawei redefines Lebanon’s future through advanced technologies
Huawei announced Wednesday it is working to help Lebanon lift its economy through technology.
"Lebanon stands at the precipice of change – it needs to move forward and prioritize the implementation of a resilient ICT strategy in order to secure its bright future," the CEO of Huawei in Lebanon, Aiden Li, said in a statement.
Li added that the World Bank Group has adapted its strategy to support Lebanon’s emerging needs – the Performance and Learning Review (PLR) of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to make it more people-centric, being more selective in the sectors that directly benefit the poor and most vulnerable, including refugees, and preparing the ground for a reform program.
He said that the government also recently signed the U.N. Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which aims to strengthen the capacity of Lebanese institutions to deliver on their duties and promote sustainable development for a prosperous, inclusive Lebanese society.
"The ongoing difficult economic turmoil has left Lebanon more vulnerable to cyber security attacks. Such attacks at a national level can potentially impact government services, business continuity, or loss of critical data. As Lebanon builds its ICT infrastructure, it’s imperative that it strengthens its cyber security posture and seal crucial perimeters," Li added.
"Speaking at a cyber-security conference in Beirut in June this year, Chairman of the Arab Internet & Telecom Union Feras Bakour urged Arab states to invest more in cyber technology, as digital transformation contributes to only 4 percent of the region's GDP growth. He further reiterated the importance of studying all aspects of cyber threats and allocating funds to the development of human resources," the statement went on to say.
Li stressed the Lebanese's resilience, innovation and determination in the face of adversity. "In fact, a team from Lebanon bagged second place in the Practice Competition, during the Global Finals of Huawei ICT Competition 2021-2022 in Shenzhen, China. They competed and won against 150,000 students that participated in the competition from more than 2,000 universities in 85 countries and regions worldwide. A Lebanon-based team was also one of the two teams from the Middle East to be shortlisted amongst the top ten finalists in Huawei’s inaugural Tech4Good Global Competition 2022," Li said.
"This is why we believe that delivering high-quality ICT education and training will arm these youths with the skills and knowledge required, and will help ensure that we do not fall behind in the global digitization race.
A robust, resilient and secure national 5G network is key to helping Lebanon act on the world stage, from reliable communications to enabling swift business transactions."
Li went on to say that back in 2019, Huawei performed the nation’s first commercial trial of 5G together with telco Touch. "We are now working to help Lebanon lift its economy through technology, given its global leadership as the first ICT company globally to unveil a full range of end-to-end (E2E) 3GPP-compliant 5G product solutions, and the world’s first 5G chipset," he added.
"While the government is championing technology adoption with the aim of digitally and electronically transforming Lebanon and creating smart cities, the implementation of 5G capabilities will serve to underpin a digital ecosystem, helping drive forward this urgent need for digital transformation.
There is a great deal of room for growth. According to government figures, in 2018, ICT contributed to around 2.1% of the nation’s GDP, the equivalent of US$1.1 billion, and the sector's total impact on GDP, whether direct or indirect, is forecasted to reach US$7 billion by 2025," the statement said.
The statement added that the commercial deployment of 5G networks in Lebanon will significantly contribute to the country’s economic activity, creating thousands of new jobs, including cybersecurity professionals, network technicians and engineers. And while the COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in introducing 5G, the GSMA forecasts that Lebanon will have commercial 5G services by 2024.
"Working in partnership with leading universities to sponsor Huawei ICT Academies helps ensure the brightest students have access to cutting-edge technologies, internships and real-world job opportunities. The academies deliver training and certification programs to both instructors and students via the Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy program (HAINA).
"Via such collaborations, Huawei and its academic partners aim to contribute towards the development of Lebanon’s ICT talent ecosystem, in line with Lebanon’s Digital Transformation Strategy. Together, we are ensuring there is a capable talent pool, ready to face the challenges of digitalization.
"Digital transformation comes with a need to manage energy requirements – through the lens of sustainability – and those requirements are being deeply considered by Huawei in a digital energy roadmap. The approach to utilizing technology in managing power is designed to help nations like Lebanon manage renewable energy through smart grid technology, cutting-edge storage solutions and demand-side management, for example.
"But the backbone of any digital transformation strategy needs to revolve around education, security and reliability. Huawei has been working with the Lebanese government, the private sector and academia since first establishing its regional presence in the 1990s, to build a talent supply chain covering the entire learning, certification, and employment process; to create a robust, secure national communications network and to protect that network with world-class cybersecurity," Huawei's CEO said.
He concluded that "for Lebanon to move forwards and regain its global competitive footing, we need to work together in creating a bright new future, driven by digitalization. Without nurturing future talent and adopting future-proof technology, this cannot be achieved."
Source: Naharnet
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