I had the privilege of meeting His Excellency Minister Tesfakiros Hailu Gebremariam yesterday and today.

We had a very insightful discussion about various topics, particularly ICT-related issues. I was deeply humbled by the time His Excellency dedicated to our meeting despite his busy schedule.

During our discussion, I demonstrated the importance of building capacity in ICT and shared insights about DEMERA’s work. Currently, we provide IT training to graduate and undergraduate students in collaboration with Wollo University and Addis Ababa University. Our work at DEMERA involves more than just IT training; it also offers students the opportunity to earn globally recognized certificates and supports them in securing local or remote work.

DEMERA aims to empower young talents, especially women, with essential ICT skills to create a digitally oriented workforce crucial for personal and national development. Through comprehensive training in Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Data and AI, Cybersecurity, and Soft Skills, DEMERA bridges the gap between academia and industry, fostering innovation and enhancing social development. By providing a robust cloud technology training environment and collaborating with local and international companies, DEMERA promotes diversity, inclusion, and IT outsourcing opportunities, contributing to a resilient and digitally empowered future.

We also discussed the quality of information systems in Ethiopia and the need for capacity building in Information System Auditing. As a co-founder of the Ethiopia Information System Audit Association (EISAA) , I briefed His Excellency on the purpose of EISAA’s establishment and our current activities and collaborations with various stakeholders.

Our conversation included brainstorming startup initiatives, and we explored several ideas. Ethiopia has identified ICT as one of its five priority investment sectors, recognizing the transformative potential of technology in driving economic growth and development. We also noted that Finland, known for its leadership in technology innovation, robust ICT infrastructure, and advanced cybersecurity systems, provides an ideal environment for such an initiative. We considered the possibility of establishing an ICT hub in Helsinki, Finland, which would offer a strategic opportunity for both Ethiopia and Finland to enhance bilateral ties through innovation and technology. We concluded that the Ethiopian Embassy in Scandinavia should acknowledge and support this initiative.

Today, we visited the Fairway headquarters in the heart of Helsinki. As a senior advisor for Fairway Global Business Development, I collaborate with the team to make Ethiopian professionals more accessible to global recruiters. We began with a brief introduction, and Fairway Global’s Co-Founder & CEO, Henrik Metsämäki, Mr. Gemechis Marema CCO, Business Dev’t & Partnerships along with Ms. Natalia Sabure Honorary Consul of Ethiopia.

Mr. Henrik presented Fairway vision for the Fairway professional identity wallet solution and the new partnership between Fairway and FAYDA National ID. This solution primarily empowers professionals with digital identities, streamlining recruitment and enhancing trust. As we brainstormed potential applications of this solution, His Excellency provided insights into the challenges Ethiopian citizens face with document approval and validation. He emphasized the need to transform the current traditional and cumbersome processes with this innovative solution and expressed his support for efforts to make it happen. If implemented, this would be the first solution of its kind for this use case.

I would like to thank Ms. Natalia Sabure Honorary Consul of Ethiopia for coordinating and facilitating this meeting. My sincere gratitude goes to His Excellency Minister Tesfakiros Hailu Gebremariam for his warm welcome, his interest in ICT, and his recognition of the diaspora community’s expertise and dedication to advancing Ethiopia’s digital transformation.

Helsinki August 30, 2024