Washington — Millions of young people across Eastern and Southern Africa stand to gain skills they need to thrive through a new regional program that is designed to support job creation at scale. By 2034, 18 million young people in the region are expected to receive better education and skills, unlocking opportunities in key economic sectors through the program that will also contribute to millions of new jobs.
There is an urgency to create jobs for Africa’s rapidly growing youth population. In Eastern and Southern Africa, about 8 million young people enter the labor market each year, yet fewer than one million of the new entrants secure waged jobs. Meanwhile, an estimated 6.5 million youth, including 3.6 million women, are neither in school nor in any kind of job (formal or informal).
Creating more and better jobs requires sustained investment in physical and human infrastructure – including an array of relevant skills to raise productivity, expand employment, and increase wages, along with reforms that create a business-friendly environment, and efforts to mobilize private capital.
The Skills for Economic Transformation and Jobs Program in Eastern and Southern Africa (SET4Jobs) will support countries over eight years through a multi-phase approach designed to drive job creation at scale. The program aligns investments in skills with specific value chains poised for job growth and is supported with a $972 million financing package, funded through the International Development Association* (IDA).
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“SET4Jobs is a transformative investment in Africa’s greatest resource – its youth,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa. “Working closely with the private sector, we will help align training with growing industries such as agribusiness, energy, healthcare, tourism and manufacturing. The goal is to equip millions of young people with the skills needed to get good jobs, thrive in a modern economy and drive regional prosperity.”
SET4Jobs will be implemented through investment projects in Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, and Zambia. The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), which plays a central role in fostering regional collaboration in tertiary and technical education, will oversee coordination and work with countries to enhance skills development, tertiary education, research and incubation for jobs.
“IUCEA brings deep regional experience in strengthening institutional capacity, advancing industry-aligned training, and fostering applied research and innovation in higher education and technical training. Through SET4Jobs, we are building on this momentum–transforming higher education and skills development into a powerful engine for jobs and shared prosperity across the region,” said Prof. Idris Rai, Acting Executive Secretary of IUCEA.
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SET4Jobs will establish a regional knowledge-exchange platform to enable the efficient sharing of experiences and lessons learned among participating countries. It will leverage IDA and International Finance Corporation advisory services and serve as a platform for financing from development and private sector partners.
Contacts
In Washington:
Daniella van Leggelo-Padilla, [email protected]
The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 78 poorest countries, 40 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has provided $563 billion to 116 countries. Annual commitments have increased steadily and averaged about $34.5 billion over the last three years (FY22-FY24), with about 70 percent going to Africa. Learn more online: IDA.worldbank.org. #IDAworks