Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Christel Heydmann, CEO of Orange Group, on September 27, 2026, to discuss potential collaborations in the communications and technology sector. The meeting was attended by Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Rafeat Hendy, and other high-ranking officials. The talks focused on leveraging Orange's expertise in digital transformation and technological development.
President El-Sisi praised Orange's achievements in Egypt, particularly in services, digital transformation, smart platforms, community development, and digital education. He expressed Egypt's interest in attracting more investment from Orange, citing the country's promising growth and expansion opportunities. The President also highlighted Egypt's efforts to enhance youth capabilities and enable them to utilize modern technologies.
Christel Heydmann expressed her honor in meeting President El-Sisi and noted that Orange's success in Egypt serves as a model for other countries in the region. She commended the Egyptian government's efforts to support startups and provide initiatives for youth development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Heydmann also acknowledged the state's programs for developing young people's skills.
The President and Heydmann discussed potential cooperation in implementing the second phase of Egypt's National Digital Health Project. They explored ways to utilize Orange's advanced expertise in digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and system integration. The President emphasized the importance of collaboration in preparing Egyptian youth for the future job market.
President El-Sisi and Heydmann also touched on the need for specialized training programs in AI, data analysis, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. They discussed providing young people with international certifications in these fields through partnerships with global technology companies. This initiative aims to enhance Egypt's human capital and prepare its youth for emerging job opportunities.
In line with President El-Sisi's directives to expand digital capacity-building programs for Egyptian youth, Orange Group announced plans to provide training scholarships for approximately 200,000 trainees in AI and cybersecurity. The program includes international certification and a €25 million allocation to support startups in AI and advanced technologies.
Orange Group has committed to supporting several Egyptian universities with modern technological labs, enabling students to acquire the necessary skills in advanced digital technologies. The company's efforts aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that Egyptian graduates are equipped to excel in the technology sector.
Key points
- Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi seeks increased investment from Orange Group to boost the country's technology sector.
- Orange Group commits to providing training scholarships for 200,000 Egyptian youth in AI and cybersecurity.
- The Egyptian government and Orange Group discuss cooperation in implementing the National Digital Health Project.
