Smart Kigali initiative continues to attract tech firms to support it and help in its implementation. Huawei Technologies Rwanda, a Chinese tech information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, is the latest to join the initiative. 

The Smart Kigali initiative was launched in 2013 as part of the wider Smart Rwanda project geared at promoting ICT use in the day-to-day lives of city dwellers across all sectors of the economy. It also aims at modernising the lifestyle of Kigali City dwellers and visitors through use of ICT for better service delivery.

Huawei has been contributing to such initiatives, according to Kian Chen, Huawei Technologies country manager.

He said the company will venture into ‘safe city’ services, providing ICT-based security systems across the city to help in emergency response and evidence collection, among others. He said the firm is already providing safe city services in Nairobi, Kenya. Kian said Huawei is looking to partner with the government to introduce such services in Rwanda.

Safe city is part of smart city initiative that promotes ICT solutions, like wireless broadband, cashless economy through use of e-tickets for city buses, as well as other initiatives that contribute to green economy and ICT-led growth.