Northern Africa OTF (Operations Transformation Forum) 2024 was successfully held by Huawei during Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona, encircling the theme of Embracing the New Era of Digital Intelligence Transformation. More than 100 executives from delegates of government, operator, industrial organization and analysts in the region had in-depth exchanges on the concepts, models, and practical experience of carriers' digital intelligence transformation.

At the Forum, Huawei and African operators jointly established the Northern Africa Digital Intelligence Transformation Pioneer Club, which marks the opening of a new era of regional digital intelligence transformation.

Bruce XUN, President of Huawei Global Technical Service Department said at the Forum that ”Telecom+AI” will accelerate digital intelligence operation transformation and create new operations mode and new service growth. In Which, Telecom’s cognition are still the core which including decades of experience, best practices and Telecom knowhow. While digital is the Cornerstone, which is what we’ve been doing in digital operation transformation, including clean and high quality data with suitable platforms and sufficient digital talent. And AI is now the accelerator including traditional AI and generative AI.

On February 23, the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) donated 156 cutting-edge tuberculosis (TB) testing machines – worth $3 million – to the people of Ethiopia.  These new machines will reduce the time it takes to diagnose TB from as long as six weeks to two hours.  USAID Mission Director Scott Hocklander handed over these GeneXpert machines to H.E. Dr. Dereje Duguma State Minister for the Ministry of Health (MOH) at the ALERT Hospital in Addis Ababa.   

TB is the leading infectious disease in Ethiopia and globally, claiming the lives of over 21,000 Ethiopians annually – more than HIV and malaria combined.  That is equivalent to 60 deaths every day.  Over the past two decades, USAID has partnered with the MoH and other stakeholders to diagnose every person with TB, cure those who need treatment, prevent the spread of new infections, and generate evidence and rapid uptake of new technologies and medicines to move Ethiopians towards eliminating TB.

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline group in Africa, has announced the expansion of its domestic services to Dembi Dollo in South-Western Ethiopia. Starting from February 26, 2024, Ethiopian Airlines will offer thrice weekly passenger services to Dembi Dollo. The new service aims to provide a safe and convenient means of transport for the people of Dembi Dollo and the surrounding area. It is expected that this air service will contribute to the socio-economic development of the region by facilitating tourism, trade, and investment. Ethiopian Airlines is committed to developing air transport services throughout Ethiopia, and this initiative is a testament to that commitment.

Mesfin Tasew, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, expressed his pleasure in announcing the reconnection of Dembi Dollo to Addis Ababa and the rest of the domestic network. He highlighted the significance of this air service in providing a safe and convenient mode of transportation for the residents of Dembi Dollo and the surrounding areas. Tasew also emphasized that the new service is expected to stimulate socio-economic development in the region by facilitating tourism, trade, and investment.

SITA, a global leader in air transport technology, is celebrating its 75th anniversary, marking seven and a half decades of groundbreaking innovation, unwavering commitment, and exceptional service to the aviation industry.

Founded in 1949 by 11 pioneering airlines, SITA has been owned by the air transport industry and driven by its needs since its inception. SITA’s history is one of constant technological innovation, starting in 1950 when it took its first steps towards creating the world’s largest data network, which stretched across 75 communication centers for 52 airline members by 1957. In 1966, SITA launched the world’s first working network to use packet switching principles, continuing to harness the most cutting-edge developments in IT and telecommunications—even contributing to the creation of the internet in 1969 by activating the world’s first nodal distributed network. 

Over the decades, as SITA continued to constantly improve and build upon its network, it also expanded its expertise to support airlines, airports, and governments in processing passengers and baggage, managing borders, driving digital efficiencies and sustainability for aircraft, and beyond. In 1984, in time to support the needs of airlines, airports, and passengers for the Los Angeles Olympic Games, SITA introduced its Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) system which multiplied tenfold the number of airlines a domestic US terminal could handle.