At the African Union (AU) conference on education, youth and employability, held in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, launched a vibrant advocacy for inclusive education, youth employability and the creation of opportunities for African youth. This event, organized under the presidency of Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and current President of the African Union, brought together heads of state, ministers of Education, Finance, experts, as well as civil society actors, around the theme “Educating and qualifying Africa for the 21th century “.
During his speech, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye recalled the African Union’s commitment to transforming the continent into a resilient and dynamic region, emphasizing that young Africans, who represent more than 60% of the population, are not only the future but also the present of Africa. He stressed the need to strengthen education systems through inclusive policies, particularly for girls and rural communities, in order to break cycles of poverty and ensure equal opportunities for all.
President Faye also highlighted Senegal’s efforts to invest in quality education accessible to all. “In Senegal, we have chosen to invest massively in inclusive and quality education, by allocating a significant part of our budgetary resources and mobilizing our partners,” he said. He recalled that access to education for young girls and rural communities is essential to overcome poverty and guarantee equal opportunities for all young people in the country.
Furthermore, the president highlighted the importance of integrating digital technologies into education and training systems at all levels, in order to prepare young people for the reality of the job market. He also emphasized the need to strengthen technical and professional training, adapted to the needs of the job market, to facilitate the professional integration of young graduates.
But according to Diomaye Faye, training young people is not enough, it is also crucial to create job opportunities and establish ecosystems conducive to entrepreneurship. “Youth is the engine of economic transformation. Our young people are full of creativity and ambition. It is up to us, decision-makers, to offer them the necessary conditions to innovate and undertake,” he added. Senegal, in this context, is implementing a national transformation agenda for 2050, aiming to make quality human capital and social equity strategic priorities.
This call for collective action for the education and employability of young people was widely supported by other leaders present at the conference. Bassirou Diomaye Faye concluded his speech by urging African heads of state to join forces to build sustainable economies, capable of retaining talent and meeting the expectations of African youth.
Moctar FICUU / VivAfrik
