Huawei and MTN have signed a business innovation MOU, jointly committing to bringing cutting edge digital services to African business and consumers. The agreement was signed in Barcelona, Spain at the conclusion of the Mobile World Congress.

Huawei has a 17-year working relationship with MTN and is the company’s most important network solutions provider. The joint business innovation memorandum is an important part of their strategic partnership. Both parties have agreed to expand Active Data Growth, Rich Media Services, Mobile Financial Services, Enterprise, and Wholesale businesses from the traditional voice and data service co-operation.

The memorandum will move MTN and Huawei beyond the traditional trading relationship and extend cooperation in strategic research, business scenario design, joint product development, and joint solution go-to-market that will have a far-reaching impact on the implementation of the MTN B.R.I.G.H.T. strategy and the vision of achieving Digital MTN.

“The signing of the joint business innovation memorandum with MTN will strengthen strategic cooperation between the two parties in the future,” saysLi Dafeng, of Huawei’s executive supervisory board and director of the office of the ICT infrastructure business management committee. “Previously, we focused on building high-quality network serving end-users as well as on business requirements, scenarios, and business success. We believe Huawei’s outstanding innovation, R&D, and localized service capabilities will help MTN build differentiated competitiveness and leadership in its target markets.”

MTN Group chief operating office Jens Schulte-Bockum says: “In the historical cooperation between MTN and Huawei, Huawei helped MTN build a top-quality network with leading technologies, excellent quality, and zero network security incidents. MTN continued to lead the ICT development in the Africa and Middle East region, and most MTN markets operate in emerging countries and regions. To further eliminate the digital divide in these countries, improve people’s lives, and achieve the vision of Digital MTN, it is willing to work with Huawei to bring benefits to the public and society.

“MTN attaches great importance to cyber security, which is a global technical challenge. MTN will work with global partners to solve this problem and provide sustainable, stable, and reliable digital services for the public and society.”