Eswatini has been selected as the African pilot country for the United Arab Emirates’ She Powers Africa Digital Academy, launching a continental initiative to equip women with high-demand digital skills.
The initiative was officially unveiled on Wednesday during a virtual event attended by senior officials from both countries. The programme will initially train 50 women from government and government-linked institutions before expanding nationwide and across Africa.
The partnership is the first of its kind between the UAE and an African country. It builds on engagements between Eswatini’s Minister of Information, Communications and Technology, Savannah Maziya, and UAE leaders, including Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.
Speaking at the launch, Maziya said the programme places Eswatini at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation while advancing global gender equality goals.
“This training programme ensures that African women are equipped to lead the continent’s digital transformation and participate fully in the digital economy,” she said.
Maziya noted that the initiative complements the government’s investments under the Digital Eswatini Project and the Coders Eswatini partnership, which aims to equip 300,000 emaSwati with digital skills, with women accounting for at least half of the beneficiaries.
She encouraged the inaugural cohort, describing them as “pioneers of a continental movement” whose achievements would inspire women and girls across Africa to pursue careers in science and technology.
She added that the partnership with the UAE lays the foundation for a future in which African women can innovate, lead and thrive in the digital economy.
The academy, led by the UAE’s General Women’s Union in partnership with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority and the Digital Government Academy, will provide specialised training in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, software development and IT operations.
The programme stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Eswatini and the UAE during the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, in the presence of King Mswati III.
