Huawei calls for collaboration to avoid digital divide

Huawei has called for increased collaboration and open innovation to prevent a new digital divide amidst the swift advancements in artificial intelligence as discussed during the Huawei ICT Sustainability Roundtable at MWC Barcelona 2025.

Ken Hu, the Rotating Chairman for Huawei, highlighted the role of digital technologies and partnerships in driving sustainable changes.

He stressed the importance of expanding collaborative efforts to ensure inclusivity in the digital sphere. "As AI makes the world more intelligent, we are likely to see a new digital divide."

"We need to pay attention to this and work together to bridge the gap," stated Hu.

"We need policymakers to build more inclusive institutional frameworks and more tech companies to embrace open innovation. We need to work together to build more open platforms for collaboration," he added.

The roundtable served as a platform to explore practical efforts where global experts and Huawei TECH4ALL partners discussed projects aimed at equipping underserved communities with necessary digital skills.

Eng. John Tanui CBS, representing the Kenyan government, outlined how their collaboration with Huawei complements Kenya Vision 2030 by facilitating digital economic progress through infrastructure development, digitised government services, and skills enhancement for distant and rural zones.

"In Kenya, we believe no one should be left behind. That's why Huawei is a strategic partner in upscaling digital skills through initiatives like TECH4ALL, which we leverage to drive digital inclusion," stated Eng. Tanui. He elaborated on the success of the Huawei TECH4ALL DigiTruck, which has provided over 150,000 hours of digital skills training to about 6,000 Kenyan youth since 2019.

Kenya's DigiTruck initiative has demonstrated success, as confirmed by a 2024 report from the Ministry of Education indicating that 93% of trainees reported enhanced work abilities due to the training. Additionally, trainees experienced increased employment rates and used the internet more for business purposes such as e-commerce. Partner organisation GSMA commended the DigiTruck's ability to reach even the most remote areas like Marsabit County.

The event also saw contributions from UNESCO, the Universal Service Fund, and Spain's University of Alicante, which examined successful collaborations with TECH4ALL promoting education equity and skills through various initiatives including OpenSchools, Smart Village Pakistan, and Huawei ICT Academy.

In an effort to integrate ICT into nature conservation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) introduced the IUCN-Huawei Tech4Nature partnership.

This collaboration has assisted in developing innovative tech solutions for protected areas through 13 flagship projects across 11 countries.

The projects analysed during the roundtable shared a focus on technological advancement and cross-sector partnerships, both deemed crucial for harnessing ICT's potential to enable a more inclusive and sustainable digital future.