Samsung - built for Africa

Samsung is positioning itself as a partner in growing opportunities in Africa for all.

KK Park, Samsung Africa's president, disclosed that the company hopes to grow the size of the African market to that of China by 2015. As part of the firm's continental growth strategy, Samsung will be focusing on Africa's top 10 economies, which together generate 79% of the continent's wealth and house almost 47% of the population.

"Our aim is to promote co-operation, innovation and the exchange of new ideas in technology so that our products and technologies continue to respond to the real needs and conditions of the continent," Park said.

Samsung has undertaken extensive research and development in technology innovations, specifically focused on African consumers' needs. These include TVs with built-in power-surge protectors, triple-protector technology for air conditioners to ensure durability and safeguarding against high temperatures and humidity, washing machines that are 70% energy-efficient, dura-cool refrigerators with cool pack, allowing fridges to stay cool without power, as well as dual-sim technology and long battery-life phones with battery standby times of up to 25 days.

"In line with our key value of co-prosperity, coupled with our business and development sector partnerships, we have a vision of developing technology that is built in Africa, for Africa, by Africa, and as such, we will, over the next few years, be allocating more local R&D investment for further local product planning, design and development," said George Ferreira, COO of Samsung Electronics SA.

Samsung demonstrated its commitment to this vision when it teamed up with the University of Cape Town and Strathmore University in Kenya this year to develop unique mobile phone applications for people living in Africa.

"Samsung has a large pan-African investment in corporate social responsibility programmes focused on developing young African leaders through sustainable skills development and employability programmes.

"Africa has developed a healthy appetite for the latest electronics, and this is being fuelled in part by the rapid roll-out of more affordable broadband connections - opening up a plethora of opportunities for Samsung, its partners and, of course, the people. We are using this opportunity to inspire new directions and provide the technologies and gadgets Africa requires," said Park.