Page 32 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The EU and Orange Jordan Inaugurate in Aqaba a

Digital Village and a Center with JOHUD

The European Union (EU) and Orange
Jordan inaugurated on Wednesday the
Orange Digital Village in Aqaba, and
the Women Digital Center at Princess
Basma Center for Human Development,
as part of “Innovation Space”, marking
a continuation of the EU and Orange’s
joint efforts to support youth in digital
and entrepreneurial fields. This three-year
project is co-funded by the EU’s “Innovation
for Enterprise Growth and Jobs” program.
The event was attended by the Minister
of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship,
H.E. Ahmad Hanandeh, EU Ambassador to
Jordan, H.E. Maria Hadjitheodosiou, Aqaba
Special Economic Zone Authority Chief
Commissioner, H.E. Nayef A. Bakheet,
Governor of Aqaba, H.E. Mohammad Al empower women with managerial, digital, demand skills in the labor market, as well
Rafaiah, Aqaba Representative, Obaid and marketing skills needed to support as the support provided to launching and
Yassin, Aqaba Development Corporation their projects. The expansion of Orange growing startups. Marigny said that this
CEO, Hussein Safadi, Aqaba Special digital programs in Aqaba will empower step aims to enhance innovation culture on
Economic Zone Commissioner of Youth more youth, as it is expected to reach a larger scale in Jordan and enable more
& Entrepreneurship, Ramzy AlKabarity, around 1000 beneficiaries/certificates, beneficiaries, noting that the “Innovation
President of the University of Jordan Aqaba as it will cater not only to Aqaba, but Space” project seeks to increase the
Branch, Professor Dr. Amer Salman, and also the surrounding villages and nearby number of beneficiaries to more than
CEO of Orange Jordan, Thierry Marigny, in southern cities. Additionally, Orange 20,000 in 29 locations across the Kingdom.
addition to media representatives. Moving Jordan and the EU launched an incubator He also noted that these projects fall
forward towards achieving the EU and and startup accelerator to support under Orange Jordan's comprehensive
Orange Jordan's common goals of "training entrepreneurs in Aqaba and enable them social responsibility strategy, and its role
for employment", the digital village in Aqaba to scale up. EU Ambassador H.E. Maria as a responsible digital leader, seeking to
comprises a coding academy that provides djitheodosiou stressed the importance of curb the unemployment rate, and increase
training in programming languages and mainstreaming digital entrepreneurship employment opportunities for youth
personal skills required in the labor market and innovation culture across the Kingdom, across the Kingdom, while supporting
for seven months, including a one-month which are key to creating employment entrepreneurial and ambitious projects that
internship. The newly inaugurated village opportunities for Jordanian youth. “The will drive economic growth. The “Innovation
also includes a Fabrication Lab (FabLab) core of the “Innovation Space” project is Space” project supports the expansion
that offers training in the latest machines, about increasing the opportunities for of Orange’s digital programs to include
tools, and programs in this field, such employment, creating local value and 9 Community Digital Centers, in addition
as laser cutting, CNC, and 3D printers, enhancing the capacity of small and to 5 new coding academies, 5 FabLabs,
to create prototypes that will grow into medium enterprises and entrepreneurs to 8 startups accelerators and incubators,
entrepreneurial projects. In the context of innovate. Reaching out to youth, students in addition to an “Innovation Hub” at the
the “Innovation Space” project in Aqaba, and entrepreneurs all across the country Orange Digital Village in Amman. The EU-
the EU and Orange Jordan also inaugurated in order to enhance their digital skills is an funded "Innovation Space" is a pioneering
a Women Digital Center at Princess essential element of this project.” CEO of initiative in Jordan and a one-stop shop
Basma Center for Human Development in Orange Jordan, Thierry Marigny, expressed for digital innovation and entrepreneurial
partnership with the Jordanian Hashemite his excitement about the extended digital support. It introduces digital culture,
Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), programs at the Orange Digital Village fosters digital skills, especially among
attended by PMO Director at the Fund, Dina in Aqaba and the new digital centers women and youth, and promotes and
Alaeddin. The Center is an extension of executed in partnership with JOHUD, nurtures entrepreneurship by identifying
the successful program, which includes 8 as they will offer youth in the southern key opportunities for digital economic
centers in seven governorates, implemented governorates the opportunity to benefit growth.
by Orange Foundation and JOHUD to from free digital programs in the most in-

32 MAY-JUNE 2022