UAE, Estonia join forces in education, innovation to rebuild Ukraine

TALLINN - On Tuesday, the foreign ministries of the United Arab Emirates and Estonia signed a declaration of intent to support children and young people in Ukraine, underscoring their shared commitment to humanitarian solidarity, education, and innovation.

The UAE has pledged around 3 million US dollars to fund the initiatives, while Estonia will contribute financially and, through the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV), take the lead in project management, coordination with Ukrainian institutions, and engagement with local and international partners on the ground, spokespeople for the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.

The partnership will channel expertise and resources into three priority initiatives: establishing EDUHUB centers to modernize preschool education by equipping and empowering teachers with modern methodologies, digital skills, and innovative tools, while integrating STEM and first aid into early learning; launching the Coding Unicorns Future Skills Accelerators to equip young people -- especially girls -- with digital and coding skills linked to future employment; and scaling the Future Entrepreneurs program to embed entrepreneurship into vocational training curricula by providing students with practical entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy, and innovation competences essential for Ukraine’s recovery and growth.

"Estonia and the UAE are uniting their strengths to deliver practical support in education, digital skills, and entrepreneurship -- empowering Ukraine’s youth to shape a better future for themselves and for their country," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

"Quality education is the cornerstone of a successful, strong and resilient society. As part of Ukraine’s recovery, Estonia has supported education projects in Zhytomyr Oblast to give the youth and children the best possible start in life, and equip young adults with future-ready skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. With the UAE’s valuable support, we can now expand these efforts further and farther across the country," ESTDEV executive director Klen Jäärats said.

This joint effort highlights the growing cooperation between Estonia and the UAE. The declaration was signed by Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE's minister of state for international cooperation, and Martin Roger, deputy secretary general for political affairs at the Estonian Foreign Ministry, in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's minister of foreign affairs, and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.