en.Wedoany.com Reported - The International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a cooperation agreement on June 24, reached after a meeting between OIF Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo and AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah. The agreement will launch digital training and entrepreneurship support programs in five countries—Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—prioritizing youth and women.
According to estimates by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), over 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will be affected by digital transformation by 2030. This partnership aims to address a common challenge among Francophone countries: helping young people seize opportunities arising from the rapid development of digital technologies. The program will provide training in areas such as web and mobile development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analysis, along with support for employment, self-employment, and entrepreneurship—including bootcamps, prototype design workshops, and collaboration with incubators and accelerators.
The partnership pays special attention to initiatives led by women and young entrepreneurs. Both parties aim to reduce inequalities in access to digital skills and economic opportunities in the relevant countries. This initiative draws on OIF's experience, which has already helped nearly 19,000 young people in Francophone regions through projects such as D-CLIC in the fields of digital technology, employability, and entrepreneurship.
Beyond training, OIF and the AfDB will collaborate with governments, training institutions, and local stakeholders to strengthen national capacities, ensuring local ownership and long-term sustainability of the projects. The pilot phase will last 12 to 24 months in the five countries, after which expansion to other OIF member states may be considered based on results. For OIF, the partnership with the AfDB also marks a new phase in its financing and partnership strategy, aimed at accelerating high-value-added projects in employment, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation to benefit Francophone youth.
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