The African Youth Day is celebrated on November 1st, and this year's theme is "Celebrating Two Decades of Progress in Promoting Youth Rights, Participation, and Development in Africa." The day marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the African Youth Charter, which enshrines the rights of young people to education, training, employment, and participation in public life. In Côte d'Ivoire, the Minister of Youth Promotion, Professional Insertion, and Civic Service, Mamadou Touré, highlighted the country's achievements in promoting youth development.
According to Mamadou Touré, Côte d'Ivoire has made significant investments in human capital and created mechanisms to support young people in their training, professional insertion, and autonomy. The government's Youth Program (PJGOUV) 2023-2025 has impacted over 3.5 million young people, with more than 1.4 million trained, inserted, or financed. The program has also led to the construction or rehabilitation of 261 training structures and youth infrastructure.
The government has adopted a new program, PJGOUV 2026-2030, which aims to reach nearly 5.3 million young people and construct or rehabilitate 644 training and youth infrastructure. The minister emphasized that three challenges remain: ensuring the effectiveness of youth rights across the territory, strengthening their participation in public decisions, and aligning training with real job opportunities.
Mamadou Touré also highlighted the progress made in promoting youth participation, citing the law on youth orientation and the decree modernizing the framework for youth organizations. The government plans to continue developing skills in demand in the job market, strengthening apprenticeships, and facilitating young people's access to their first professional experience.
Entrepreneurship is another area of focus, with the government providing support for project holders, monitoring their activities, and ensuring their sustainability. The minister stressed the need to value all paths to insertion, including salaried employment, technical trades, agriculture, crafts, and new digital opportunities.
The African Youth Day celebrations in Côte d'Ivoire are part of the African Youth Month, which aims to promote youth engagement, rights, and contributions to the continent's development. The day is an opportunity to take stock of progress made and to look ahead to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The government's efforts to promote youth development have been underway since 2011, under the leadership of President Alassane Ouattara. The initiatives aim to provide young people with the skills, training, and opportunities they need to contribute to the country's growth and development.
Key points
- The Côte d'Ivoire government has launched new initiatives to empower young people, including a new youth program that aims to reach nearly 5.3 million young people.
- The government has made significant investments in human capital, with over 3.5 million young people impacted by the different initiatives.
- The African Youth Day celebrations in Côte d'Ivoire mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the African Youth Charter.
