The European Union launches major programme supporting sustainable employment in Darfur

01:54 PM February, 27 2020

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Press statement: The European Union launches major programme supporting sustainable employment in Darfur

On the 27th of February 2020 H.E. Ambassador, Robert van den Dool, European Union Delegation to Sudan, Ms Lena Elsheikh, Minister of Labour and Social Development, and Dr. Sabine Müller, Director General, Africa Department, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), launched the Youth Employment Skills (YES) programme. The aim of the programme to be implemented by GIZ is to support the enhancement of market-oriented technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in El Fasher (North Darfur), El Geneina (West Darfur) and Nyala (South Darfur). The Youth Employment Skills programme has a total volume of EUR 18 M (SDG 105.3 M) and is jointly financed by the European Union (EUR 15 M. EUR) and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with a further EUR 3 M. This newly rendered support to youth employment and qualification in Darfur is complementing and expanding already ongoing activities for support for TVET and private sector development in El Fasher, El Geneina and Nyala, with an overall volume of EUR 13 M, financed by BMZ.
The newly launched YES programme will create greater economic and employment opportunities in Darfur by empowering youth and disadvantaged groups. It is expected that 1,000 trainees will benefit from additional, market-oriented opportunities and that 600 small industry workshops and companies will receive business development services, to develop their business and create additional jobs. Furthermore, job placement and career counselling services will benefit small and medium-sized businesses beyond the intervention area. EU funds will also be used to construct and equip two Vocational Training Centres (VTC), one in El Fasher and one in El Geneina.
The YES programme will run for thirty-three (33) months. The programme complements ongoing European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) interventions in the TVET field in East Sudan (EUR 12 M EU/BMZ, implemented with GIZ) and Khartoum (EUR 3 M, with UNIDO).
Ambassador van den Dool said:
“I am confident that this programme will support the youth of Darfur, many of whom were actively involved in the momentous events of 2019, to find training in a field of their interest. And that they subsequently can find a decent, permanent job.”
Ms Müller said:
"GIZ is committed to contribute to enhance youth employment and vocational training in Darfur. This action is in line with the objective of the Sudanese government’s target of creating 55.000 jobs for young women and men in Sudan. This project, jointly implemented by GIZ on behalf of the EU and BMZ, will create tangible prospects for young people in the new Sudan, which the German Government recently resumed bilateral cooperation with.

Contact info: mailto:[email protected]@eeas.europa.eu
mailto:[email protected]@giz.de