Mali is set to host a three-day “National Symposium on Increasing Employment Opportunities” in Bamako from December 15 to 17, 2025.
The event will gather over 250 decision-makers and experts to discuss strategies for job creation, particularly in a nation where the informal economy is highly prevalent.
Organized by the Malian Ministry of National Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Vocational Training, the symposium’s primary objective is to create a space for strategic dialogue among employment sector stakeholders on the levers for increasing job opportunities.
The chosen theme for this first edition is: “Increasing Employment Opportunities in Mali: An Integrated Approach Through Local Governance, Vocational Training, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation.”
Participants will include representatives from the central government, local authorities, the private sector, civil society, and technical and financial partners.
This initiative operates within an established institutional framework that includes specialized agencies such as the National Employment Agency (ANPE) and the Youth Employment Promotion Agency, alongside key programs like the Ten-Year Vocational Training Development Program for Employment.
The symposium takes place amid official statistics that characterize the Malian labor market by a low official unemployment rate but a significant reliance on the informal sector. The National Institute of Statistics reports that the unemployment rate stood at 2.4 percent for the most recent period. However, more than nine out of ten employed individuals work in the informal sector.
International data highlights challenges for young people: The World Bank noted that in 2021, 27.9 percent of young people aged 15 to 24 were neither employed, in education, nor in training (NEET). Analyses also point out that job creation in West and Central Africa is struggling to keep pace with the millions of young people entering the labor market annually, further solidifying the informal economy’s dominance.
Discussions during the symposium will concentrate on four key areas: the role of local governance, the place of vocational training, conditions for developing entrepreneurship, and integrating innovation into economic activities. The conclusions are expected to form the basis for recommendations aimed at strengthening existing job creation mechanisms.
MD/ac/fss/abj/APA