International partners strengthen collaboration to advance TVET in Africa
Twenty-four institutions across the UN system, development agencies, and financial institutions met in Paris to advance the Africa Skills Landscape Initiative — a joint effort to map TVET investment across the continent.
Participants at the Paris workshop reaffirmed their commitment to working together to strengthen collaboration and maximize the impact of investments in skills development across Africa. They agreed that a shared understanding of the TVET landscape will be instrumental in supporting more effective partnerships, improving resource allocation, and accelerating progress towards inclusive and sustainable economic transformation. “As the lead United Nations agency for education and coordinator of the Inter-Agency Group on TVET, UNESCO is committed to fostering stronger partnerships and knowledge exchange in support of quality, inclusive, and future-oriented TVET systems. No single organization can meet Africa’s skills development needs alone,” said Borhene Chakroun, Director for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, UNESCO. “The Africa Skills Landscape initiative demonstrates the value of collective action and UNESCO is pleased to contribute to this joint effort. ”The preliminary results will be presented at theWorldSkills Conference 2026in Shanghai in September 2026. For more information, please contact:Juan Pablo Davila, Head, Skills Development, Entrepreneurship and Fair Production Unit, UNIDOj. davila@unido. orgAbout the ASL Initiative:The Africa Skills Landscape (ASL) mapping Initiative is a collaborative effort led by the African Union Commission, UNIDO, and WorldSkills International, with the support of UNESCO and ILO. The initiative maps ongoing and forthcoming TVET-related interventions across Africa to strengthen coordination, improve visibility of investments, identify opportunities for collaboration, and support implementation of continental TVET priorities. About AUC:The African Union Commission (AUC) is the secretariat of the African Union and serves as the driving force behind the continent’s integration and development agenda. The Commission supports Member States in implementing continental policies and strategies aimed at promoting sustainable development, economic growth, peace and security, and regional integration. Through Agenda 2063 and the African Continental TVET Strategy 2025—2034, the AUC works to strengthen skills development systems, enhance youth employability, and build the human capital needed to drive Africa’s socio-economic transformation. About UNESCO:The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication. UNESCO leads global efforts to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. In the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), UNESCO supports Member States through policy advice, capacity development, research, data, and international cooperation, and coordinates the Inter-Agency Group on TVET (IAG-TVET) to strengthen collaboration among international partners working in skills development. About UNIDO:The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes inclusive and sustainable industrial development. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, UNIDO supports Member States in advancing industrialization, innovation, sustainable value chains and economic transformation. About WSI: WorldSkills International (WSI) is a global organization that brings together countries/regions, industry, education, and young people to raise the profile and recognition of skills worldwide. Through a network of more than 120 Member countries and regions, WorldSkills is the global champion for skills excellence and strives to create a world where skills are valued as the building blocks of sustainable human development.