The city of Oran, Algeria, is set to host the African Skills Olympiad from November 16 to 19. The event, which is under the high patronage of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, will bring together over 600 candidates from more than 18 countries to compete in 45 professional disciplines. The Olympiad aims to strengthen African cooperation in vocational training and promote skills development.
Minister of Vocational Training and Education, Nassima Arhab, arrived in Oran on Monday to review the preparations for the event. She was welcomed at Ahmed Ben Bella International Airport by Oran's Wali, Ibrahim Ouchan. During a press conference, Arhab highlighted that the Olympiad is an initiative to consolidate exchanges between African countries and promote vocational training as a driver of economic and social development.
The program includes competitions in six professional families, with 45 métiers on offer. Organizers expect to welcome over 40,000 visitors, with the help of 400 volunteers and 120 media partners. More than 30 ministerial delegations are also expected to attend. The event will also feature the African Forum on Skills Policies, which will bring together over 30 ministers and representatives of official delegations.
The forum will discuss several themes related to modernizing training systems, adapting programs to labor market needs, and identifying future skills, particularly in digitalization, artificial intelligence, and renewable energies. The discussions will also focus on developing partnerships and mutual recognition of qualifications. The outcome will be the development of the "Oran 2026-2027 Action Framework".
The event will also showcase the skills of young people in various specialties, ranging from energy efficiency to industrial automation, hotel management, and web development. The goal is to make professional skills a factor of rapprochement between African countries and a driver of their economic development.
Several partners from the industrial, banking, and services sectors will participate, including Sonatrach, Condor, Soummam, several public banks, Djezzy, Ooredoo, and Stellantis El Djazaïr. The Olympiad aims to highlight the expertise of young people and promote vocational training as a lever for development.
The African Skills Olympiad is an opportunity for Algeria to demonstrate its commitment to vocational training and skills development. The event will provide a platform for young people to showcase their skills and for countries to share best practices and expertise. The outcome will be a strengthened African cooperation in vocational training and a more skilled workforce.
Key points
- Over 600 candidates from 18 countries to compete in 45 professional disciplines
- The event aims to promote vocational training as a driver of economic and social development
- The Olympiad will feature the African Forum on Skills Policies to discuss themes related to modernizing training systems and identifying future skills
