The German Agency for Cooperation and Development is implementing the project to promote youth employment in Darfur

The German Agency for International Cooperation and Development, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union, announced the implementation of a project to promote employment opportunities for young refugees, displaced persons and the host community in Northern, Western and Southern Darfur.

The Agency said in a statement that all activities were being carried out under the project to promote employment opportunities in Darfur for refugees, displaced persons and host communities, youth employment and employment.

The statement said that the project complements the part financed jointly with the European Union “Youth, Employment and Skills (YES)” and the interventions of the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) in the field of technical and vocational education and training in the Sudan and will continue until the end of December 2023.

The statement stated that the youth, employment and skills project would create greater economic and employment opportunities in Darfur through the empowerment of youth and vulnerable groups. During the statement, it is expected that 1,000 trainees will benefit from additional market-oriented opportunities and receive 500 workshops and small businesses business development services, to develop their businesses and create additional jobs.

Furthermore, the project will match the supply and demand sides of the labour market through employment and professional consulting services, which will benefit graduates as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

Funding from the European Union will also be used to build and equip a vocational training centre in El Fasher, Northern Darfur. Construction of the new centre began in December 2022.

A local construction company is building the new centre, which is supervised by a team of experts from the German Agency for International Cooperation, composed of Sudanese and international construction experts.

All facilities for women and men will be built and access for persons with disabilities will be ensured.

The use of environmentally friendly building materials and methods, as well as the use of renewable energy options, connecting the Centre to the power grid and water supply, is also ensured and will include waste management facilities.

Electricity will also be generated by the solar power system and the construction of the vocational training centre is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The Vocational Training Centre will provide regular 3-year courses as well as short-term training courses in four different areas, “Automotive mechanics, electricity, general electricity, mechanics, food and beverages”. For example, a modern curriculum in “Public electricity: solar installation and maintenance” was developed in cooperation with private sector companies.

Hundreds of students will benefit from rehabilitation procedures and equipment at the project’s technical secondary schools in El Fasher and El Geneina, which were completed in 2022 with new cables and toilets installed and classrooms equipped.