Egypt Partners with Microsoft to Build Youth Tech Capacity

Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with Microsoft to develop digital skills and build youth capacity by stimulating technological innovation and entrepreneurship, and incubating tech startups across the country.

The MoUs come as part of a strategy by the ministry to build an environment which facilitates technological innovation.

The ministry will cooperate with Microsoft to launch Tamayouz, a capacity-enhancing programme across the country which will prepare young and qualified talents working in technology to implement Egypt’s digital projects over a three-year period.

Further, the partnership seeks to provide professional training for approximately 10,000 IT specialists each year, as well as to equip 1,000 young people with digital programming skills each year in the Develop and Change’ initiative.

In total, the initiatives seek to level-up 200,000 young people’s IT skills each year and to produce tangible results including preparing young people for the 10 most in-demand jobs in IT.

Meanwhile, the agreements also aim to support 100 startups and enhance their opportunities to secure a sustainable growth by providing them with access to Microsoft’s Azure Cloud services, at an estimated cost of $3 million.

Microsoft will also cooperate with the ministry to train 500 entrepreneurs from different governorates around the country through knowledge-sharing of best practices for startups regarding entering the market and sustaining growth.