Tashkent turns tech hub as Huawei accelerates ME&CA's digital future

Gulf Business

23-05-2025

Pictured: Derek Hao, President of Huawei Enterprise Business ME&CA
The historic city of Tashkent marked a pivotal moment in the Middle East and Central Asia's (ME&CA) digital journey as Huawei opened its flagship Tech Carnival & Partner Summit 2025 in Uzbekistan — its first time in the country.
Under the banner 'Accelerating the Intelligent World,' the event drew more than 1,500 industry leaders, government officials, technology experts and partners to explore how intelligent technologies can drive the region's digital transformation.
Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov underscored the occasion:
'Uzbekistan stands at a crucial junction of ancient heritage and modern innovation. This event represents our commitment to becoming a regional hub for digital excellence.'
A region at the digital crossroads
ME&CA sits at a critical inflection point. Spanning 21 countries with a combined GDP above $6 trn and a population topping 500 m, the region offers vast growth potential. Rapid global adoption of artificial intelligence—spurred by advances such as DeepSeek—only heightens the urgency to act.
Unlike mature markets burdened by legacy infrastructure, many ME&CA nations can build AI-first ecosystems from scratch. This digital leapfrogging offers an unprecedented chance to secure a competitive edge in the global economy. A young, tech-savvy population and government-led diversification away from hydrocarbons further fuel momentum.
Derek Hao, President of Huawei Enterprise Business ME&CA, captured the mood:
'Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries at an unprecedented pace… Huawei has developed new digital and intelligent solutions for industries based on our global practices with customers and partners.'
Uzbekistan's own Digital Uzbekistan 2030 strategy aims to propel the country's e-Government Development Index from 63rd to the global top 30 within a few years.
The geopolitical dimension of digital sovereignty
Technological progress also reflects aspirations for digital sovereignty. As global tech ecosystems fragment, regional control over digital infrastructure translates into economic and strategic autonomy. Emerging 'technological corridors'—linking the Gulf to Central Asia and beyond—position ME&CA as a vital bridge between East and West in an AI-enabled economy.
Comprehensive digital-enablement strategy
Huawei recognises organisations are at different stages of digital maturity and has created four implementation models:
ICT infrastructure enablement – integrated computing, networks and storage.
Cloud-platform enablement – one platform for multi-cloud applications, cutting development time from months to weeks.
Data enablement – a lake-house solution that eliminates silos and reduces data-migration workloads by 80 per cent.
AI enablement – frameworks and tools that speed real-world deployment.
Regional investment and commitment
Huawei has set up ICT academies with local universities and, through its T.H.E Gold Talent Programme, plans to cultivate one million digital professionals across ME&CA. The company works with more than 3,000 partners serving tens of thousands of SMEs, helping its regional commercial market grow 34 per cent year on year in 2024.
As ME&CA embraces its digital future, success will hinge on collaboration among governments, technology providers and industry leaders—and on sustained investment in human capital. The rise of 'collaborative intelligence,' where human creativity and AI combine to tackle complex challenges, marks the next frontier.
Derek Hao closed with a clear pledge:
'At Huawei, we are committed to working with our partners to build robust digital infrastructure and accelerate intelligent transformation across the region.'
Through targeted investment in education, infrastructure and partnerships, ME&CA is poised to lead in the intelligent economy.