By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are expanding their
cooperation on the use of cloud-enabled technologies and artificial
intelligence to support inclusive development and broaden digital opportunities
across Southeast Asia.
The expanded cooperation
follows an announcement made at the Regional Development Forum for Asia and the
Pacific (RDF-ASP) 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, and will focus on knowledge
exchange, innovation and research around emerging digital technologies.
Planned areas of
collaboration include innovation dialogues and knowledge-sharing initiatives
covering AI infrastructure, data centres, cloud technologies and the wider
digital economy.
ITU and AWS will also
explore research into how cloud-enabled technologies can support women
entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia by creating new employment and
income-generating opportunities.
The research is expected to
examine how access to cloud infrastructure and related technologies can
contribute to entrepreneurship and economic participation among women,
particularly within the region’s expanding digital economy.
The partnership reflects
growing interest in the role of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies
in addressing development challenges and creating new pathways for inclusive
digital and economic growth.
ITU said the cooperation
will support evidence-based dialogue on how emerging technologies can deliver
broader social and economic benefits across the region.
The organisation also
expressed appreciation to AWS for contributing its expertise and supporting
efforts to examine the practical contribution of cloud-enabled technologies to
inclusive development.
