Govt, ILO sign MoU to boost digital youth employment

The Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday, August 19, to advance Rwanda’s digital transformation. The move also aims to empower women and girls to join STEM and the growing tech sector, and create decent and inclusive jobs for young people. The MoU signing ceremony took place at the premises of MINICT between the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yves Iradukunda, on behalf of the government, and ILO’s Director for Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, Caroline Khamati Mugalla. ALSO READ: PM Ngirente, ILO officials discuss Africa's untapped potential Iradukunda underscored that the MoU harmonises with the government's goals in the National Strategy for Transformation Two (NST2), including job creation. He noted that there is a lot of untapped potential within the digital sector, emphasising that the partnership will not only help in boosting job creation but also raise awareness on how citizens interact with technology. The agreement outlines collaboration on three priority areas, namely; equipping youth with digital skills, supporting the digitalisation of small businesses, and nurturing innovation through initiatives such as the Innovation Challenge. “Partnerships like this bring together technology and employment strategies in a way that truly creates opportunity for all Rwandans,” Iradukunda said. Under the NST2 priorities, Rwanda aims to create over 250,000 decent jobs annually and train one million Rwandan coders and 500,000 professionals. ALSO READ: ILO urges East African countries to harmonise labour laws The MoU builds on the ILO’s ongoing work in Rwanda to strengthen the foundations of a job-rich digital economy. This includes working with government, business service providers, TVET institutions, workers, and employers' organisations to expand access to practical digital skills training, improve career guidance services, and ensure young women and men are better prepared for emerging opportunities in ICT and beyond. Speaking at the ceremony, Caroline Khamati Mugalla commended Rwanda’s ambitions to create decent jobs, emphasising that the partnership with MINICT will be a key milestone in driving the inclusive digital economy, not just for women but also for marginalised and disabled people. “By institutionalising innovation and digital access for entrepreneurs, we not only future-proof their businesses, but we also ensure that decent employment remains a tangible outcome for Rwanda’s youth,” she added. She pointed out that ILO is not only to support initiatives that create decent jobs but also to move the existing ones into decent ones, while ensuring sustainability. From the project’s side, Fatima Sirelkhatim, ILO Project Manager in Rwanda, emphasised the forward-looking nature of the collaboration: “This MoU paves the way for scaling our support, linking digital training, enterprise development, and social protection, to ensure we remain fully responsive to Rwanda’s priorities.” The partnership will also see expanded efforts to connect entrepreneurs to markets and finance through digitalisation, while promoting inclusive access to social protection for workers in the digital economy. The partnership is already bearing fruit. At the ceremony, 18-year-old Adeline Ntibagwe, from École Technique Saint Kizito in Rwamagana, was awarded as the top performer of the August 11-16 week in the 'Smart Ibiruhuko' initiative run in collaboration with ILO. 'Smart Ibiruhuko' is a transformative initiative under One Million Rwandan Coders, which aims to democratise digital skills training across Rwanda through holidays. “It was my first time participating in the programme, and I am very happy with the reward. I want to encourage other students not to waste time during holidays, because if I did it, they can too,” said Ntibagwe, who is also going in her Senior Six academic year, pursuing networking. As Rwanda advances its Vision 2050, the MINICT and ILO partnership sends a strong signal that the country’s digital transformation is not only about technology, but also about people. It will ensure that young Rwandans have the skills, opportunities, and protection they need to thrive in the future of work.

News

Govt, ILO sign MoU to boost digital youth employment