Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have officially launched a joint initiative to train 10 million coders over the next three years. The program aims to prepare the younger generation not only to use, but also to create emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

The announcement was made at the Indonesia and UAE Government Experience Exchange Forum in South Jakarta on Monday, 15 September 2025.

Strategic Three-Year Plan to Develop Indonesian Youth in Tech

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria confirmed that the coding initiative is a direct result of ongoing digital cooperation between the two countries.

“Today we launch a collaboration to strengthen digital talent capacity, especially through a digital literacy program to educate 10 million coders for Indonesia’s younger generation. This will be carried out over the next three years,” he said.

From Technology Users to AI Developers

Patria stated that the program is designed to elevate national digital talent beyond basic usage toward the development of new technologies.

“This collaboration aims to strengthen national digital talent so they are not only users, but are also expected to become developers of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI),” he said.

UAE Shares Digital Governance Expertise with Indonesia

Beyond talent development, the cooperation also includes experience-sharing in the transformation of government services. Patria highlighted the UAE’s rapid digital progress over the past decade.

He said the UAE has demonstrated a dramatic acceleration in digital transformation over the past ten years, which serves as a valuable lesson for Indonesia.

Global-Scale Partnership to Advance Digital Workforce

Abdulla Nasser Lootah, UAE Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, described the program as a major milestone in the two nations’ cooperation.

“The 10 Million Coders Program is the largest initiative we have launched globally. We have other countries working with us on coding programs, but this is the biggest so far. We thank the Indonesian government for its support in realizing this,” said Lootah.

Lootah emphasized that the initiative offers significant potential for Indonesian youth to build digital careers and develop their own applications.

“Together, we will equip them with the tools to start building their own applications and pursuing their careers. Today, they will have full control over what they can do in the future with the certification, knowledge, and expertise provided,” he said.

PHOTO: HUMAS KEMKOMDIGI

This article was created with AI assistance.