Amb. Gatete on Africa's potential to create jobs for over 50m youth

Africa's challenge of youth unemployment also presents a huge opportunity for jobs, according to Amb. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic Commission fo Afria (ECA). ALSO READ: How Africa’s youth are rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship Gatete said this on Wednesday, June 11, during the Africa Development Impact Forum, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme Best Practices and Innovative Solutions for Job Creation in Africa. Every year, more than 15 million young Africans enter the labour market in search of opportunity and a better future, he noted. According to the Internation Labour Organisation (ILO), 53 million young people were not in employment, education or training in 2023. The vast majority of those who do find work remain concentrated in informal and low-productivity jobs. The challenge is significant. But so too is the opportunity, Gatete said. If Africa’s greatest challenge is jobs, then Africa’s greatest opportunity is also jobs, because Africa possesses many of the ingredients required for the transformation we seek, he said. ALSO READ: Govt targets 500,000 jobs for out-of-school, unemployed youth He noted that the continent has abundant entrepreneurial talent, vast renewable energy resources, critical minerals essential to the global energy transition, rapidly expanding digital ecosystems, growing urban markets, and “the immense opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area”. ALSO READ: Africa’s Business Heroes returns to Kigali for 7th edition With a market of 1.5 billion people and a combined GDP exceeding $3.4 trillion, the AfCFTA has the potential to increase intra-African trade by as much as 45 per cent by 2045, creating new opportunities for industrialisation, regional value chains and millions of jobs across the continent. However, Gatete questioned why proven solutions are not being adopted on a broader scale, why successful pilot projects continue to remain pilots, and why excellent policy recommendations often end up as reports left on shelves. “Far from lacking ideas, Africa is brimming with innovation, entrepreneurship and practical solutions. Across our continent, governments, universities, think tanks, entrepreneurs, development institutions and the private sector are generating innovative solutions daily,” he said. From Morocco’s emergence as a major automotive manufacturing hub, to Rwanda’s innovation-driven entrepreneurship ecosystem, Ethiopia’s industrial and agro-industrial parks, Kenya’s globally recognised digital economy, and Egypt’s expanding manufacturing base, examples of success already exist across Africa, he explained. “The challenge is not in identifying what works, but in ensuring that successful experiences are replicated, adapted and expanded across the continent,” he said. ALSO READ: East Africa must give its young people power, not promises “This is precisely why the Africa Development Impact Forum was established. ADIF builds on ECA’s longstanding efforts to connect ideas, research, policy, investment and implementation.” It complements platforms such as the Africa Business Forum, which has successfully brought together policymakers, investors and development partners to advance practical solutions for sustainable development. He said ADIF addresses how to bridge the gap between evidence and implementation, and how to expand proven solutions that create jobs and improve lives. “It is about identifying what works, understanding why it works, and mobilising the partnerships, financing and institutions needed to scale impact across the continent,” Gatete said. If Africa is to create jobs at the scale required, he said, there is a need to build a complete enabling ecosystem for inclusive and job-rich growth. Five priorities highlighted Investing in skills and capabilities that match the demands of a changing economy, strengthening education systems, expanding technical and vocational training, deepening digital competencies, and equipping young people with the skills needed to thrive in both existing and emerging industries are among the priorities. Shifting from supporting only start-ups to scaling enterprises was also highlighted. Businesses that grow, innovate, compete and create jobs require stronger public-private partnerships to expand access to finance, markets, technology and business services in order to help promising enterprises flourish. ALSO READ: Over 800,000 youth jobs in agrifood systems Accelerating industrialisation and value addition is another priority. “Africa cannot create sufficient jobs by exporting raw commodities while importing finished products. Whether in agriculture, manufacturing, critical minerals, tourism, pharmaceuticals, logistics, digital services or the creative economy, greater value addition must become central to our development model,” Gatete added. Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to develop regional value chains for industrialisation and larger markets for African enterprises was also listed among the priorities. The AfCFTA provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to develop competitive regional value chains in sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, automotive manufacturing, textiles, critical minerals and digital services, attracting private sector investment, creating millions of jobs across borders, and enhancing Africa’s economic resilience and competitiveness. More than 60 per cent of Africans are under the age of 25, making Africa the youngest continent in the world. By 2035, Africa is expected to have the largest workforce globally. However, Gatete noted that this demographic advantage is not automatic.

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Amb. Gatete on Africa's potential to create jobs for over 50m youth