Djibouti has launched a nationwide training initiative targeting 4,000 young people in a bid to address deep structural mismatches in its labour market, where youth unemployment remains among the highest in the world, officials said.
The programme, rolled out by the government in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), was officially launched in the town of Arta and will focus on strengthening technical (TVET) across priority sectors.
Authorities say the initiative is designed to better align training with labour market demand at a time when economic growth has failed to translate into sufficient job creation for young people.
According to the World Bank, youth unemployment in Djibouti stood at 76.32 percent in 2024 among those aged 15 to 24, nearly five times the global average. Overall, only 23.7 percent of the working-age population was employed, one of the lowest rates recorded among member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, according to the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
Officials and development partners say the disconnect between education outcomes and labour market needs has become a central constraint on economic inclusion.
“Skills development remains a key factor to support growth and ensure sustainable employment for young people,” said Ambassador Moussa Ali Meigague, speaking on behalf of the IGAD Executive Secretary at the launch event.
He described vocational training as a “strategic lever” for addressing structural economic change across the Horn of Africa region.
The Arta workshop brought together government officials, training institutions, private sector representatives, and organisations working on social inclusion, including refugee support agencies. The three-day forum is expected to define implementation pathways for scaling up vocational training programmes nationwide.
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Mohamed Abdi Guedi, Director General of Vocational Training at Djibouti’s Ministry of National Education, said the country’s labour market was being constrained by a persistent mismatch between training supply and employer demand.
“These challenges have reinforced each other over time,” he said, adding that the new SKILLS project aims to redirect training towards sectors with higher employment potential.
Under the programme, 50% of training slots have been reserved for women, while 10% will be allocated to refugees and persons with disabilities. Officials say the quota reflects both national inclusion priorities and the country’s demographic pressures.
Djibouti hosts more than 135,830 displaced persons, according to World Bank figures published in December 2024, placing additional strain on public services and employment systems.
IGAD officials said the initiative also seeks to strengthen coordination between governments and the private sector to ensure training leads directly to job creation rather than unmet qualifications.
“There are persistent skills gaps that limit the country’s ability to convert economic potential into real employment opportunities,” said Samatar Natalis, head of IGAD’s SIMPI programme, urging closer alignment between training curricula and industry needs.
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The new initiative builds on broader reforms supported by international development partners. In 2022, the World Bank approved a $15 million financing package to expand vocational education in Djibouti, with a target of increasing enrolment in technical training from 4,700 to about 8,000 students.
The programme also aims to raise female participation in TVET to 40%, reflecting wider efforts to address gender disparities in education and employment.
Officials say the latest IGAD-backed rollout complements these reforms by accelerating demand-driven training models and improving coordination between training institutions and employers.
Analysts note that Djibouti’s economy, while benefiting from its strategic location and logistics infrastructure, continues to face constraints in absorbing its young and rapidly growing labour force.
The government says the success of the initiative will depend on whether trained youth can transition into sustainable employment in sectors such as logistics, construction, services, and emerging technical industries.
For now, authorities say the focus is on closing the gap between classrooms and workplaces in a country where job scarcity remains one of the most pressing social challenges.
