• Cisco and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) have this week singed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• The MoU is on a new phase of the Cisco Country Digital Acceleration Program.
• The pair will focus on economic development, digital skills, sustainable national infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digitisation of government services. 

This week the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) and Cisco signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the pair set to launching a new phase of the Cisco Country Digital Acceleration Program in South Africa.

The MoU serves as a continuation of the collaborative efforts between both parties, having kicked off the Country Digital Acceleration Program back in 2019. This new phase will focus on economic development, digital skills and talent development, sustainable critical national infrastructure, cybersecurity, and the digitisation of government services.

“With digitisation as the engine of economic growth, we are proud that Cisco’s collaboration with DCDT will contribute towards the growth of South Africa’s economy. Together, we will accelerate digital skills transformation, empowering South Africa’s youth and SMMEs, while enabling an inclusive future for all,” noted DCDT Minister, Mondli Gungubele, at the MoU signing.

“This new phase of Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration initiative reaffirms Cisco’s commitment to advancing socio-economic growth in South Africa by accelerating the digital economy. We believe that by empowering communities and businesses with key tools and technologies, they will thrive in South Africa and beyond,” added Chuck Robbins, chair and CEO of Cisco.

Looking at the developments and milestones during the first phase of the Country Digital Accelerator Program, Cisco highlighted that through collaboration with tertiary education institutions and TVET colleges, the company’s Networking Academy has trained nearly 260 000 students, 50 percent of which identify as female.

Another significant initiative is Cisco’s EDGE Centres, which will total six as of the end of November 2023. The first EDGE Centre was launched in Pretoria in 2018 and, most recently, two EDGE Centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town in collaboration with WomHub. 

The next phase set to get underway, it will be interesting to see what the continued collaboration between Cisco and government yields.

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