With the acceleration of digital transformation, digital skills have become indispensable assets in Africa. To equip the population with these crucial competencies, strategic partnerships are being established.

Orange Mali, a subsidiary of telecom group Orange, has signed a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to train 3,000 young people, particularly young women, in digital skills over a two-year period. The announcement was made via a press release issued by the UN body on Monday, July 1.

"With great pride and immense satisfaction, we announce the signing of this partnership agreement between UNDP Mali and Orange Mali. [...] Women, while representing an essential force, are underrepresented in the technology sectors," stated Maleye Diop, UNDP Resident Representative in Mali.

He added, "Our goal is to create a coherent vision of youth integration through concrete programs that allow them to become operational quickly. This project is just the first step towards other promising initiatives to come."

In an increasingly digital world, having digital skills has become indispensable. All sectors of activity are moving towards digitalization, and it is urgent to adapt to this new world. The World Bank, in its 2021 report titled "Digital Skills: The Why, the What and the How," emphasized that significant deficits in digital skills on the continent expose the economies of many African countries to the risk of falling further behind as the digital frontier rapidly evolves.

Orange Group, through its strategic plan "Engage 2025," prioritizes the development of digital skills on the continent. The proliferation of Orange Digital Centers in many countries across Africa, including Mali, and the signing of this partnership with UNDP are part of this plan. The pilot phase of the program has already been launched, aiming to train 200 young women in areas such as digital marketing, web development, graphic design, and video editing.

Adoni Conrad Quenum