Sihan Bo Chen, Head of Greater China and Head of Asia at GSMA Ltd.
5G technology adoption is expected to contribute to achieving the global sustainable development goals (SDGs) and supporting development plans for countries, especially developing economies, the Huawei 5G Forum, which was organized by the mobile Chinese giant, affirmed.
The one-day forum, which was held virtually on Monday and attended by Ahram Online, is a prelude to the Mobile World Congress (MWCS 2021) media and analyst event.
MWC Shanghai 2021 is anticipated to be held in Shanghai, China on Tuesday.
Ahram Online shared with forum organizers questions on how 5G technology can help Egypt in supporting its SDGs achievement and in its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Huawei, 5G technology adoption is expected to provide Egypt with better connection for the people and help different industries in the country.
It added that 5G can also provide better broadband connection to rural areas than 4G, which will help more people enter the digital world.
During the forum, Maria Reyes Maroto, the Spanish industry, trade, and tourism minister said that the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed countries around the globe to adopt sustainable industry models and to put medium and long-term plans for their economies in order to be resilient tagainst any likely future crises.
Maroto affirmed the need to make these plans compatible with the UN’s SDGs agenda that is expected to be attained by 2030.
Meanwhile, László Palkovics, the Hungarian science, technology and innovation minister, noted that green economy and digital transformation have become necessities for all economies around the world, especially given the severe impacts imposed by the COVID-19 crisis on economies.
He added that circular economy is the model that can help countries achieve their SDGs and support their economic sustainability and resilience.
Palkovics also affirmed that 5G technology plays a role in dealing with environmental issues through providing the ability of working remotely, detecting serious problems in the environment, and protecting the environment from ongoing challenges.
In the same vein, Catherine Chen, senior vice president of Huawei, called during the forum for adopting 5G technology and for reaching a global consensus on the issue.
Chen expounded that 5G technology increases operations’ efficiency and helps in achieving the global SDGs amid efforts to recover from the pandemic and its associated harsh repercussions.
Malaysia’s Minister of Communications and Multimedia Dato' Seri Saifuddin Abdullah also noted that connectivity is the cornerstone of the digital economy, adding that adopting 5G technology will deal with serious problems regarding connectivity and ease them.
In this regard, Abdullah said that Malaysia is expected to roll out 5G technology by the end of 2021, calling for a global adoption of the technology for a better digital economy and sustainable economic growth.
On the other hand, Sihan Bo Chen, the head of Greater China and head of Asia at GSMA Ltd, the world’s largest mobile trade association, revealed that global efforts to upgrade to 5G technology ranges between 4 percent and 7 percent of countries in 8 countries outside of MENA and Africa.
Chen added that connectivity disparities is one of the major challenges that COVID-19 has uncovered.
She added that the pandemic has negatively affected global economic growth in 2020, with a notable slowdown in 2021, causing serious challenges to global mobile industries.
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