Creating training and job prospects in Africa

Project description

Title: Global Programme on Training and Job Creation
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Germany
Overall term: 2019 to 2021

Context

One of the main challenges in Africa’s development is the creation of sufficient prospects for employment and earnings. With the African population set to double to 2.5 billion by 2050, around 20 million new jobs will be required each year to offer Africa’s youth prospects for a good future in their home countries. In addition to promoting formal employment, largely provided by medium-sized and large businesses, there is also a need for greater mobilisation of foreign and local investment to boost employment. As part of the Marshall Plan with Africa and the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has launched a Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation designed to foster growth in enterprises to help create jobs. To achieve this, it is creating new forms of collaboration with the European and African private sectors, notably by developing innovative joint projects. One of the focuses is on sustainable industrial zones and parks and on clusters (growth sectors in a geographically defined region) as economic catalysts. Promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is another priority. This overall approach requires access to German and European businesses and calls for fully developed instruments and cooperation strategies.

Objective

Support is provided on implementing the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation to achieve its goals in Germany and its partner countries.

Approach

The Global Programme on Training and Job Creation contributes to achieving the goals of the special initiative by providing support and advice, particularly to the country projects and to BMZ. To this end, cooperation strategies are being established with companies. Moreover, the programme aims to develop strategies and instruments for labour-intensive investment projects with companies, to strengthen clusters and to promote SMEs in the context of the special initiative. It is also responsible for results-based reporting and public relations work on the special initiative: for example, it compiles information from the projects and other instruments used by the special initiative in a joint monitoring system. It also reports on the impact of the special initiative and implements measures generating public attention.