How to improve employment and integration of young people in Senegal? The issue was debated all day on Thursday, April 22 during a presidential council. Around the head of state Macky Sall were representatives of young people, trade unions, funding structures, educators and financial partners.
as reported from Dakar, Charlotte idrac
It was an unprecedented meeting to “talk face to face” with young people, according to the presidency. Representatives from all over Senegal came to express their complaints, such as Ousmane Mamadou Soumaré, from the Kédougou region in the east of the country, who declined: ” access to credit, the problem of matching education and employment, inadequate agricultural equipment, tractors, combine harvesters and lawn mowers. “
In Ziguinchor, the majority of young people have no choice but to drive a “Jakarta motorcycle taxi”, adds their Casamance counterpart. Many point to the lack of coordination between the various funding structures.
In response, Economy Minister Amadou Hott presented an emergency program and launched an appeal to the private sector. “What we are proposing is to accelerate job creation and self-employment, to strengthen and expand vocational training and to maintain this dialogue between young people, the state and the private sector,” to promote priority investment that creates jobs … “
Even before the start of this presidency, opposition officials – Ousmane Sonko of the Pastef Party or Toussaint Manga of Abdoulaye Wade’s PDS – had condemned the president’s ‘recognition of failure’, after nine years as head of state.
This meeting was organized after the violent demonstrations in March, during which those under the age of 35, representing 76% of the population, expressed their frustrations. An emergency plan of 450 billion FCFA (approximately 685 million euros), over three years, has been announced. Poles dedicated to youth employment and entrepreneurship will be set up in each department.
The head of state promises also the recruitment of 65,000 young people across the country starting in May. Every year in Senegal, 200,000 young people enter the labor market, according to the Ministry of Economy.
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