Redington, the leading technology aggregator and innovation powerhouse across emerging markets and Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN), today announced a strategic partnership with UbuntuNet Alliance, a consortium of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) across Africa.
This collaboration empowers UbuntuNet Alliance to provide its members with seamless access to a comprehensive suite of AWS cloud solutions. NRENs will benefit from the scalability, security, and agility of the AWS cloud, enabling them to support advanced research initiatives, foster educational innovation, and accelerate scientific discovery across Africa.
“This partnership is a significant step forward in empowering our NREN members to deliver cutting-edge solutions to their research and education communities,” said Professor Madara Ogot, CEO at UbuntuNet Alliance. “By leveraging the combined expertise of Redington and AWS, we can offer our members a robust and secure cloud platform that will fuel groundbreaking research and education across countries in Africa.”
Cloud is playing a vital role across education in Africa. By offering remote access to educational resources, reduced costs for institutions, and improved collaboration opportunities, cloud platforms empower students, teachers, and researchers across the continent. From online courses and virtual classrooms to shared research projects and streamlined administration, cloud technology has the potential to revolutionize learning experiences and unlock a new era of educational accessibility and innovation in Africa.
“To unleash the full potential of the cloud for education and research across Africa, high-speed internet connectivity is essential. Through a collaborative approach, where we combine resources and negotiate as a united front, we can significantly reduce network infrastructure costs. These savings are directly passed on to our NRENs, and ultimately benefit universities and academic institutions throughout the continent. The Redington and AWS partnership will play a key role in helping us to leverage the benefits of cloud effectively,” Ogot added.
The collaboration will also provide NRENs with access to Redington’s extensive experience and technical support. Redington will offer expertise in cloud procurement, implementation, and ongoing management, ensuring a smooth transition to the AWS cloud for UbuntuNet Alliance members.
“We are thrilled to partner with UbuntuNet Alliance together with AWS to deliver the power of the cloud to NRENs across the Africa continent,” said Nehal Sharma, VP, Cloud Solutions Group, at Redington. “Our combined expertise will empower researchers and educators with the tools they need to drive innovation and progress on the continent.”
Stein Mkandawire, CEO of the Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN), said, “ZAMREN is excited to be part of this groundbreaking initiative. The availability of high-performance, reliable AWS cloud solutions will be a game-changer for Zambian researchers and educators. It will enable them to collaborate more effectively with colleagues across Africa and around the world, and to conduct research that can address critical challenges facing our country and continent.”
“AWS is committed to supporting research and education institutions around the world,” said Antonio Carrozzo, EMEA Education & Research Lead, AWS. “We are excited to partner with UbuntuNet Alliance and Redington to bring the benefits of the AWS cloud to NRENs in Africa. This collaboration will provide researchers and educators with the resources they need to push the boundaries of knowledge and make a positive impact on their communities.”
About UbuntuNet Alliance
UbuntuNet Alliance is the regional Research and Education Networking organisation for Eastern and Southern Africa. It plans, builds and operates UbuntuNet, the regional high-speed internet network dedicated to research and education in Eastern and Southern Africa. The Alliance also promotes and supports the integration of advanced ICT services and tools in research, teaching and learning, taking advantage of the opportunities that come with the Internet.
The Alliance was established in the latter half of 2005 by five established and emerging National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), namely MAREN (Malawi), MoRENet, (Mozambique), KENET (Kenya), RwEdNet (Rwanda) and TENET (South Africa). The Membership region of the Alliance spans across Eastern and Southern Africa, covering 26 countries. Currently, 16 countries have joined the Alliance and are at different stages of development. The Alliance is incorporated as a Trust in Malawi and has its secretariat in Lilongwe, Malawi and a technical hub in Kampala, Uganda.
About Redington Limited
Redington Limited, an integrated technology solutions provider, enables businesses in their digital transformation journeys by addressing technology friction – the gap between innovation and adoption. With presence across 38 markets through 60 subsidiary offices, over 290+ brand associations, and 40,000 channel partners, Redington enables seamless and end-to end distribution for all categories of IT/ITeS, Telecom, Lifestyle, and Solar products in India, Singapore, South Asia, Middle-East, Africa and Turkey. Through its concentrated focus on technology, innovations, and partnerships, Redington is one of the most trusted distributors of products, services, and solutions across the world.
