Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Christel Heydmann, CEO of Orange Global, on September 27, 2026, to discuss cooperation in the communications and technology sector. The meeting was attended by Egyptian Communications Minister Rafeat Hendy, Orange Middle East and Africa CEO Yaser Shaker, and Orange Egypt CEO Hisham Mehrain. The talks focused on enhancing collaboration in areas such as digital transformation and technological development.
The President praised Orange's success in Egypt, particularly in services, digital transformation, smart platforms, community development, and digital education. He expressed Egypt's desire to increase Orange's investments in the Egyptian market, citing opportunities for growth and expansion. El-Sisi also highlighted initiatives launched by the Egyptian government to develop the skills of young people and enable them to utilize modern technologies.
Heydmann expressed her honor in meeting the President and noted that Orange's success in Egypt, in cooperation with the Egyptian government and institutions, serves as a model for other countries in the region. She praised the Egyptian government's efforts to support start-ups across various governorates and appreciated initiatives to develop youth skills, promote innovation, and support entrepreneurship.
The President emphasized the importance of cooperation with Orange in preparing Egyptian youth for the future job market by providing specialized training programs in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analysis, and cybersecurity. He also highlighted the need for international certification for these programs in cooperation with global technology partners.
As part of the President's directives to expand digital capacity-building programs for Egyptian youth, Orange announced it would provide training grants for approximately 200,000 trainees in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, including international certification. The company also allocated €25 million to support start-ups working in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence.
Orange committed to supporting several Egyptian universities with modern technological labs, enabling students to keep pace with the latest practical applications and acquire necessary skills in advanced digital technology. This initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of Egyptian youth in the technology sector.
The meeting between President El-Sisi and Heydmann reflects the ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between Egypt and global technology leaders, promoting digital development and enhancing the skills of Egyptian youth in the technology sector.
Key points
- President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Orange Global CEO Christel Heydmann to discuss cooperation in communications and technology.
- Orange announced it would provide training grants for approximately 200,000 trainees in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
- The company allocated €25 million to support start-ups working in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence.
