Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates have expanded their joint digital skills program, the 5 Million Ethiopian Coders Initiative, to reach seven million participants after the project surpassed its original target nearly two years ahead of schedule. According to a statement, the initiative had registered 5,005,146 participants by June 2026, leading the two governments to add an additional two million places as part of their continued partnership in digital transformation and youth empowerment. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the achievement as a major milestone, saying it demo

Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates have expanded their joint digital skills program, the 5 Million Ethiopian Coders Initiative, to reach seven million participants after the project surpassed its original target nearly two years ahead of schedule. According to a statement, the initiative had registered 5,005,146 participants by June 2026, leading the two governments to add an additional two million places as part of their continued partnership in digital transformation and youth empowerment. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the achievement as a major milestone, saying it demonstrates Ethiopia’s commitment to digital transformation and equipping young people and communities with skills needed for the future. “The great turnout from Ethiopian youth and the success achieved in exceeding the target ahead of schedule encouraged the expansion by adding two million new members,” Abiy said. UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi said the expansion reflects the success of cooperation between Ethiopia and the UAE in developing digital skills and supporting the growth of the digital economy. The initiative was launched in July 2024 through the Ethiopia-UAE government knowledge exchange partnership, with the goal of providing technology training, improving coding skills and creating more opportunities for young people in the digital economy. The expansion highlights the growing focus by both countries on technology education as a key driver of innovation, employment and economic development.

Ethiopia and UAE expand their coding initiative from 5 million to 7 million participants after surpassing the original target ahead of schedule.

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