Amazon Web Services (AWS), the dedicated cloud computing arm of U.S. web giant Amazon, announced on Thursday, April 13, that it will invest an additional $1.7 billion in South Africa by 2029.

The package is part of a larger investment program announced in 2018, the company said in the impact assessment of its South African operations.

Between 2018 and 2022, Amazon Web Services invested about $862 million in South Africa. AWS Africa, its South African subsidiary, provides innovative, low-latency cloud solutions to a wide range of customers, including businesses, startups, government organizations, educational institutions, and NGOs.

The cloud computing group says that in South Africa, the investments it will make between 2018 and 2029 will contribute $4.4 billion to the country's GDP. This contribution includes value added from services provided to the local IT sector and domestic spending on goods and services related to the construction and operation of data centers. The investments are also expected to create some 5,700 jobs during the period. 

Launched in 2006, Amazon Web Services encompasses more than 100 services across categories such as cloud storage, computing power, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and game development.