Al-Sisi reviews progress on national digital skills initiative ahead of 2025 launch
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi convened a meeting on Wednesday with Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, and Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, Director of the Egyptian Military Academy, to review the latest developments in the implementation of the 'Digilians' initiative, Egypt's flagship national programme to build digital capabilities among youth.
Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shenawy stated that the president was briefed on final preparations for the programme's official launch in September 2025. These include the completion of the necessary technological and engineering infrastructure, as well as the development of an online registration platform.
Minister Talaat outlined the initiative's inclusive framework, which will be open to young Egyptians—both men and women—from all academic disciplines, professional backgrounds, and governorates. Admission will follow a transparent, merit-based selection process.
The Digilians programme will offer fully funded educational tracks, including intensive diplomas, specialized diplomas, professional master's degrees, and academic master's degrees. Participants will also benefit from free accommodation and training throughout the programme.
The curriculum is designed to integrate technical training with personal development, including language and leadership skills, and freelancing competencies. A key component of the initiative is fostering connections between participants and major tech companies operating in Egypt for hands-on training and mentorship.
Additionally, the programme encourages participants to develop and pitch their own tech-based business projects, with support provided to help them enter the global freelancing market and contribute to Egypt's ongoing digital transformation efforts.
President Al-Sisi stressed the importance of meeting the project timeline and called for expanding the programme to reach a larger number of participants. He emphasized the strategic significance of creating a quantitative and qualitative leap in Egypt's digital workforce to align with the country's long-term development goals.
He also directed that the initiative be implemented in close collaboration with specialized science and technology institutions—both within Egypt and internationally—to ensure access to cutting-edge knowledge and global best practices.
President Al-Sisi concluded the meeting by reaffirming Egypt's commitment to its national digital transformation agenda and the continued development of its ICT infrastructure as a foundation for economic growth and innovation.
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