ISTANBUL, Türkiye, 4 December 2025 — The United Nations Development Programme’s Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (ICPSD) and HP today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance digital skills, inclusive innovation, and youth employment. The MoU formalizes and expands ongoing cooperation, building on joint efforts that have already trained more than 500 trainers across 30 countries and will now scale digital capacity development, entrepreneurship, and gaming industry skills.

As part of the newly signed MoU, ICPSD and HP also launched GameUP: Empowering Türkiye’s Youth Through Games and Innovation, a nine-month programme that will equip more than 10,000 young people with practical skills in game development, design, and programming. Through access to HP Gaming Garage online trainings, 2,000 participants will progress to specialized programming tracks.

Sahba Sobhani, Director of UNDP ICPSD, highlighted the importance of digital skills for economic opportunity and youth employment: “Building a more inclusive gaming industry is only possible through collective efforts and strategic partnerships. With partners like HP, we are not only driving economic growth but also creating an inclusive ecosystem that gives young people meaningful pathways into the future of work.”

Referring to World Bank estimates that more than one billion young people will need new skills by 2030, Mr. Sobhani underscored the role of private sector engagement in developing scalable and innovation-led solutions: “For developing countries, this sector holds tremendous potential to strengthen local creative economies and create alternative employment opportunities.”