STORY: Huawei helps improve Lebanon's ICT infrastructure: experts
SHOOTING TIME: July 9, 2024
DATELINE: July 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:53
LOCATION: Beirut
CATEGORY: ECONOMY/TECHNOLOGY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Huawei Middle East Commercial Roadshow in Beirut
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALAA ELSHIMY, Managing director and senior vice president of Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Middle East
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ALINE KANAAN, Sales administration manager at Computer Information Systems
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): AMINE SOUEIDY, General manager at BMB
5. various of the Huawei Middle East Commercial Roadshow in Beirut

STORYLINE:

Technology experts on Tuesday emphasized the need to enhance Lebanon's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to support digital transformation in the country, noting that China's tech giant Huawei can help in this regard.
   
On the sidelines of the Huawei Middle East Commercial Roadshow held in Beirut, Alaa Elshimy, managing director and senior vice president of Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Middle East, said that Huawei has been working to build vertical solutions for different industries.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALAA ELSHIMY, Managing director and senior vice president of Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Middle East
"Of course, Lebanon has a great history and we have great talents. When it comes to ICT, actually, a lot of talents who are managing regional positions across the Middle East and maybe globally are Lebanese. This is the key for the ICT industry and for any industry, it's all about people. And that is the key trend for Lebanon. However, on the other hand, because of some economic challenges and political challenges that Lebanon has been going through over the last few years, I think the infrastructure in the country is a bit behind, and I think further development is required because you have a lot of potentials in the country, but definitely, you need to enhance the infrastructure to support you to go through the digital transformation."
   
Aline Kanaan, sales administration manager at Computer Information Systems, told Xinhua that Lebanon's ICT infrastructure requires strengthening through the adoption of new technologies and Huawei offers a great opportunity for this purpose.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ALINE KANAAN, Sales administration manager at Computer Information Systems
"The ICT sector is very active now, especially after the (pandemic) and the economic crisis we are facing. So we went down for five years (with) no renovations due to the lack of money. Now it is the right time that we're investing in this sector. And everything needs to be refreshed. So this is a very good opportunity, especially (since) Huawei is always presenting the latest innovation and technology. They were the first to present the Wi-Fi 7."
   
For his part, Amine Soueidy, general manager at BMB, a partner of Huawei, told Xinhua that Huawei has been helping a lot in Lebanon's education sector.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): AMINE SOUEIDY, General manager at BMB
"I think Huawei, they are helping, they are doing many things, they are helping in the education sector. There is a lot of communication and integration between Huawei and universities in Lebanon. There are more than 11 universities working with Huawei in terms of talents."
   
According to the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL), the ICT sector contributed 1.1 billion U.S. dollars to the country's GDP in 2018. IDAL forecasted that the sector's total contribution to GDP would reach 7 billion dollars by 2025.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beirut.
(XHTV)