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Developing Telecoms – MTN and UNHCR to connect displaced people in African countries

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‍NEWSLETTER | Thursday, 5 March 2026 ‍

‍Dear Visitor ‍

MWC26 is over – but the issues it has highlighted will continue to be discussed for a long time after the many attendees have gone home.

For developing countries they may well include sovereign AI, open RAN development, and, in remote regions, HAPS, three areas highlighted in our MWC news roundup today.

Elsewhere, 5G is making headlines in Ghana and Costa Rica – as is MTN's exit from Syria and digital government in Papua New Guinea

But basic connectivity needs also have to be met – especially for refugees in areas like Chad and South Sudan, where major names like SES and MTN are stepping in to help.

This round-up is a reminder that telecommunications today can cover everything from basic SMS to AI data centres. We’ll take a closer look at how effectively MWC26 reflected this diversity in our next newsletter.

‍TOP STORY

MTN and UNHCR to connect displaced people in African countries

MTN Group has signed a multi-year MoU with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to provide meaningful connectivity and digital inclusion for refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers and host…

‍NEWS UPDATES

Cassava Cloud Partner programme announced

Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, has announced the launch of its Cassava Cloud Partner (CCP) programme during MWC26.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Huawei Launches AUTINOps Solution to Redefine the New Paradigm of Intelligent Operations

During the 4th Intelligent Operations Forum at Mobile World Congress (MWC 2026), Huawei officially launched AUTINOps, the industry’s first AI-Native intelligent operations solution.

NEWS UPDATES

Mitratel and AALTO recommit to HAPS project in Indonesia

Telekom Indonesia’s telecoms infrastructure subsidiary Mitratel announced on Wednesday that it has renewed and extended its collaboration agreement with Airbus subsidiary AALTO to provide high…

Veon company Beeline Uzbekistan signs MoU with Rakuten Symphony

Beeline Uzbekistan, Veon’s digital operator in Uzbekistan, and Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at MWC26.

‍PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

IDATE presents four major awards to leading global operators

During MWC 2026, a leading European consulting company, IDATE, held the Green All-optical Network Forum 2026. During the forum, IDATE presented four major awards to 17 world’s leading…

NEWS UPDATES

Liberty Costa Rica targets tourism sector with 5G service launch

Liberty Costa Rica commercially launched the first sites of its 5G network across multiple regions on Tuesday using gear from Ericsson, with plans to achieve national coverage before the end of this…

PNG DataCo and Oracle to give PNG’s Morobe govt an AI makeover

The government of Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea announced it is partnering with PNG DataCo and Oracle to transform itself into an AI-enabled digital government.

NEWS UPDATES

Ghana’s NGIC launches long-delayed wholesale 4G/5G network

Ghananian wholesale 4G and 5G operator Next Gen Infraco (NGIC) has finally commenced full commercial operations after several delays, although initial coverage is limited.

Collaboration aims to advance sovereign AI across Africa

Sovereign AI company MeetKai and the Smart Africa Alliance announced this week during MWC26 what they call a landmark collaboration to launch a five-country pilot advancing sovereign AI across Africa.

‍PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Huawei Xinghe AI Unified SASE Solution: Redefining the Paradigm of Network Security to Safeguard Enterprise Digital Transformation

The intelligent era is developing rapidly, and digital boundaries are constantly expanding. We are at a historical moment where network security and intelligent technologies are converging…

NEWS UPDATES

SES brings satellite connectivity to refugees in Chad

SES, a space solutions company, says it is expanding humanitarian connectivity at the Farchana refugee settlement in Chad.

MTN says farewell to Syria as new tender is announced

Pan-African (and formerly Middle Eastern) operator MTN is finally leaving Syria and, it seems, a replacement is already being lined up.

‍PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

nubia Neo 5 Series Launched at MWC Barcelona 2026

nubia unveiled its nubia Neo 5 series at MWC Barcelona 2026, led by nubia Neo 5 GT - the only device in its class featuring a built-in fan and a completely flat design, alongside the more…

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