APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) African leaders adopt a seven-point declaration in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania outlining the way forward to address surging unemployment problems in Africa through focusing on key areas like education, skills development, technology, and gender equality.
The declaration came at the end Human Capital Development Summit aiming to address the lack of employment options especially for university graduates across the continent.
“Challenges hindering youth productivity, such as limited access to quality education, adolescent fertility, substance abuse, and child marriages are identified as major challenges in the continent,” according the declaration seen by APA.
In a statement read by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, the leaders agreed that building human capital was essential to ensuring equitable and sustainable prosperity in Africa.
“Investment in human beings through quality education, healthcare, nutrition, job creation, and skills development is necessary for improved social and economic outcomes,” President Samia said.
To increase the quantity, effectiveness, and impact of investments in people, however, a tremendous amount of work and coordinated funding are required. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are frequently referenced in the proclamation.
Challenges that are impeding youth productivity include low access to quality education and skilled development, high adolescent fertility, drugs and substance abuse, and child marriages”, said Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera. “We have to make sure that education and skills development, science, technology and innovation health and nutrition are central areas to focus on.”
The president of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, said that his country was increasing the number of women in the labor force by making basic education and training mandatory.
“If we invest in human capital and believe in gender equality, we will be able to overcome many of the challenges that face us,” he stated.
“We have a chance to transform our population explosion and youth bulge into a demographic dividend,” Kenyan president, William Ruto added.
“If the youth workforce is not used well, it will become a problem, so what we need is to implement strategic policies that will enable us to benefit from the dividend of human capital,” the president of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova was quoted as saying in the statement.
MG/abj/APA