Harnessing the Power of East Africa’s Youth: Skills and Employment for the Next Generation

Background

There are more than 650 million youth in Africa and by 2030, 75% of the continent will be under the age of 35, making up 42% of the global youth population. However, the continent is experiencing a youth skills and employment gap, creating economic inequality, social unrest and missed opportunities for innovation. Within this context, eastern and southern Africa face pressing challenges related to underemployment, education and employability mismatches, and the rapid pace of technological change, significantly impacting the region’s economic development and the future of its youth.

The private sector is poised to offer meaningful solutions to these critical challenges. The Global Business Coalition for Education is providing the private sector with an agenda and strategy to address these critical issues. We will convene for a half-day of activities, including a roundtable of global business executives, multilateral agency leadership, donor governments and regional education ministers, as well as a youth networking session and breakout sessions to commit to collaboration and action on specific projects.