Safaricom has announced a strategic agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will see the Telco become a reseller of AWS services. — Amazon Web Services Managing Director Emerging Markets Tony Vanden Berge (R) hands over a partnership plaque to Safaricom PLC CEO Michael Joseph during the Safaricom Amazon Web Services (AWS) partnership signing at the Michael Joseph Centre today.

Market leader Safaricom has announced a strategic agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will see the Telco become a reseller of AWS services. Amazon Web Services is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides businesses, individuals, companies, and even governments with on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs on a metered pay-as-you-go basis. As of 2017, AWS controlled 34% of all cloud Infrastructure and Platforms As A Service (IaaS, PaaS).

The agreement, Safaricom says, is designed to accelerate their internal IT transformation, lower costs and provide it with a blueprint and skilled resources to assist customers with their journey to the cloud.

“We chose to partner with AWS because it offers customers the broadest and deepest cloud platform, overall commitment to security excellence, and a strong culture of customer obsession. This agreement will allow us to accelerate our efforts to enable digital transformation in Kenya,” said Michael Joseph, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom.

In addition, Safaricom will be able to offer AWS services to East-African customers, allowing businesses of all sizes to quickly get started on AWS cloud and accelerate innovation.

Safaricom also announced the attainment of Advanced Consulting Partner status in the AWS Partner Network (APN), becoming one of the first APN members in East Africa. The APN is the global partner program for technology and consulting businesses who leverage AWS to build solutions and services for customers.

The APN helps companies build, market, and sell their AWS offerings by providing valuable business, technical, and marketing support. This achievement recognizes the skills, knowledge and experience in AWS cloud services that the Safaricom PLC team has gained.

Safaricom, in an official release, has said this new announcement has been met with interest by customers, with enterprises, startups, and government agencies expressing a desire to use the partnership to build their cloud strategy.