An initiative to provide fundamental digital skills in programming, Android development, data science, and artificial intelligence to the youth was launched last week. The federal government has partnered with the United Arab Emirates to support the capacity-building initiative until 2026. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) announced the ambitious "Five Million Ethiopian Coders" plan during a launch event held at the Science Museum. It is lauded as a key component of the Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy, to create a technologically competent workforce. "It'll help bridge the gap between soft and hard skills," said Abiy. The number of youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET) has surged to a staggering 62 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a recent report released by the International Labor Organisation (ILO). The implications of this alarming trend are particularly troubling for countries like Ethiopia, where declining real wages and a significant youth population are a reality.

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