After the satisfactory results of the first two phases of the Youth Employment and Skills Development Project (Pejedec), the Ivorian government and the World Bank agreed on a third phase of the said project. The financial institution will provide support of 75 billion FCFA to Côte d’Ivoire for the financing of this third phase of Pejedec.
It is in this context that the Minister of Economy and Finance, Adama Coulibaly and Mrs. Coralie Gevers, Director of Operations of the World Bank initialed the financing agreement for the Pejedec project in the amount of 75 billion FCFA for deal with the employability of young people.
The signing ceremony took place this Wednesday, February 23, 2022, in the conference room on the 20th floor of the Sciam Plateau building, in the presence of the Ministers for the Promotion of Youth, Professional Integration and Civic Service, Mamadou Touré and that of Technical Education, Vocational Training and Apprenticeship, N’Guessan Koffi.
Presiding over the ceremony, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Adama Coulibaly, indicated that this significant funding testifies to the interest that the Ivorian Government and the World Bank attach to the development of human capital and socio-economic integration. youth professional. While specifying that the establishment of PEJEDEC 3 whose agreement was signed today aims at the sustainability and institutionalization of programs related to the employability of young people.
“Indeed, financed to the tune of 150 million US dollars, or approximately 75 billion FCFA, PEJEDEC 3 will aim to develop institutional capacities for the sustainability of youth employment programs, and to implement the objectives of the Government. in terms of integration, job creation for a greater number of young people” , confided the Minister.
Also, he added, the PEJEDEC 3 will be responsible for ensuring the strengthening of state bodies in charge of youth employment, such as the Youth Employment Agency. Not without specifying that the financing of this Project is part of the PND 2021-2025, through, in particular, Pillar II relating to the development of human capital and promotion of employment.
According to him, the Ivorian population is experiencing demographic growth of around 2.6% with a proportion of young people under 35 which is greater than 77% of its composition. It’s huge, he lamented.
The creation and development of businesses, the Minister confided, are proving to be a necessity in Côte d’Ivoire, to meet the needs of creating jobs and wealth for the benefit of young people.
In addition, the Minister was delighted with the results recorded by the first and second phases of Pejedec.
“The PEJEDEC, during its initial phase (2012-2017) benefited from funding of 50 million US dollars, or 26 billion FCFA, intended for 27,500 young people, with in the end 33,382 beneficiaries for an achievement rate of 121% and a professional integration rate of 60%. And The second phase of an amount of 50 million US dollars involved 31,500 young people. 32,249 young people benefited from this phase, for an integration rate of 72%” , welcomed the minister.
For her part, the Director of Operations of the World Bank, Mrs. Coralie Gevers, confided that this project will offer the opportunity to 68,000 young people to access training or income-generating activities offered by the Regional Councils; 34,000 young people to benefit from a work-study program, an internship, a requalification program, or entrepreneurship opportunities; 300,000 young people attending ETFPA establishments to acquire skills valued by the private sector and thus resolve the difficult question of matching training and employment.
Continuing, she noted that five TVET establishments will be rehabilitated and equipped to become TVET centers of excellence that will attract even more young people. Before pointing out that The beautiful part will be given to young women in this project because they will have to represent at least half of the beneficiaries.
