Ethio Telecom Chief Executive Officer Frehiwot Tamru, together with leaders of Africa’s top telecommunications companies known as the Group of Six, inaugurated the continent’s first-ever Africa Pavilion at the global mobile industry gathering, Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026, in Barcelona, Spain.

The pavilion, originally envisioned by Frehiwot and realized through strategic collaboration with the GSMA, marks a historic milestone by creating a unified platform to showcase Africa’s digital innovation and telecom potential on the world stage.

Following the launch, the G6 leaders held a joint press briefing outlining a shared roadmap aimed at accelerating Africa’s digital transformation.

Frehiwot emphasized that the alliance will prioritize closing the digital usage gap through expanded rural connectivity, affordable smart devices, and broader access to digital financial services.

A key focus of the partnership is the development of African-centered Large Language Models to strengthen artificial intelligence readiness and safeguard the continent’s digital sovereignty.

She stressed that building secure and resilient digital infrastructure is critical for Africa to fully benefit from the AI era.

The collaboration also seeks to scale successful telecom innovations from pilot projects to continent-wide deployment, linking regional growth with stronger global engagement.

According to Ethio Telecom, the Africa Pavilion symbolizes a new chapter for the continent’s tech ecosystem.

African delegates described the initiative as a long-overdue recognition of Africa’s digital identity, generating pride and renewed confidence in the sector’s future.