Better jobs in waste management
Project description
Title: Improving employment possibilities in the municipal service sector (SI MENA)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Algeria
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy, National Agency for Waste (AND)
Overall term: 2018 to 2022
Context
As an employer, the public sector in Algeria has been under pressure since income from the predominantly state-run oil and gas sector has been decreasing. At the same time, many youths and young adults lack job prospects. According to official statistics, every fourth person under the age of 24 is unemployed.
The Algerian Government has decided to outsource the municipal waste disposal to external service providers with the aim of improving the quality of the service. However, the municipalities do not have enough experience in monitoring the quality of external service providers in the area of waste disposal.
The Algerian state is prepared to provide financial assistance for the founding of micro companies. However, young people frequently do not have the knowledge and skills to achieve success as self-employed entrepreneurs in municipal waste disposal.
Objective
Young people find employment in the waste management sector. The quality of external service providers in municipal waste management is monitored better.
Approach
GIZ helps Algerian vocational colleges to offer short courses. In these courses, young people learn more about entrepreneurship and waste management. Once they have successfully participated, their chances of being employed by local companies in the waste management sector or successfully becoming self-employed are higher.
The project also promotes the Algerian municipalities’ capability to monitor quality when awarding contracts and outsourcing services in the area of waste management. Monitoring standards are specified for this. In discussion with citizens, methods are developed to strengthen awareness of environmental concerns and guarantee the quality of waste management over the long term.
In addition, GIZ advises the Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy and the Ministry of Interior Affairs on which methods for outsourcing municipal waste disposal to external service providers are successful and suitable for implementation throughout the country. Successful tools and courses are presented to all municipalities in Algeria. Furthermore, opportunities for exchange are created in order to give interested municipalities the option to learn from experienced municipalities.
Results
For example, companies have been founded in Tlemcen in the north of Algeria, in Jijel, El Milia and Maghnna. The micro companies have been commissioned to take care of collecting, cleaning and disposing of waste.