Somalia Launches National Push To Boost Youth Skills and Create Jobs

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has chaired the first meeting of Somalia’s National Committee for Skills Development and Job Creation, as the government steps up efforts to equip young people with skills that match the country’s labour market.

The meeting reviewed the committee’s mandate, a national framework for coordinating skills development and employment initiatives, and priority programmes expected to guide its work.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs also presented a policy on technical and vocational education and training aimed at improving workers’ skills and aligning training with demand in the labour market and emerging economic opportunities.

Prime Minister Hamza said tackling unemployment and improving skills would require a coordinated national approach involving the federal government, regional administrations, the private sector and development partners.

He said greater cooperation was needed to connect skills training with labour-market demand and investment, with the aim of turning existing programmes and investments into measurable outcomes.

The government said its broader goal was to produce a better-skilled workforce, create sustainable jobs and promote more inclusive economic growth.

The committee is expected to play a central role in coordinating national employment and skills-development programmes, particularly efforts to prepare Somali youth for opportunities in the domestic labour market and emerging sectors of the economy.

Somalia has one of Africa’s youngest populations, making job creation and access to market-relevant skills a key challenge for the country as it seeks to expand economic opportunities and reduce youth unemployment.