• Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea boost education ties for job integration
• Focus on teacher training, governance, and technical education reforms
• Cooperation targets youth unemployment and skills-job mismatch

Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea have reaffirmed their commitment to turning educational cooperation into a tool for professional integration and economic competitiveness.

A delegation from Guinea’s Ministry of National Education, led by Abass Camara, chief of staff to Minister Alpha Bacar Barry, was received in Abidjan earlier this April by Moustapha Sangaré, chief of staff to Ivorian Minister Koffi N’Guessan.

At the start of discussions, Ivorian officials described the meeting as having “strong strategic value.” A ministerial-level meeting is planned to finalize the discussions and formalize areas of cooperation within a long-term institutional framework, according to Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training.

The visit included thematic sessions and field visits with a practical focus. Four priorities emerged. Reform of initial teacher training is the top priority, with an emphasis on professionalization and adapting curricula to labor market needs. Discussions also covered governance of education systems, where both sides identified areas of convergence. School planning, seen as key to improving regional equity, and the development of technical high schools were also addressed. The aim is to translate the dialogue into concrete measures and ensure sustainable skills transfer.

Labour market pressure

The initiative comes as both countries face mounting labour market pressures. In Guinea, nearly 80% of the population is under 35, according to results from the fourth general population and housing census (RGPH4) published by the National Institute of Statistics last February. More than 37% of people aged 15–35 are not in employment, education or training, according to recent official data.

Côte d’Ivoire faces similar challenges. Around 300,000 graduates enter the labour market each year, but the formal sector accounts for only 10.8% of total employment, according to a 2023 study by the International Organization for Migration. Unemployment among higher education graduates stands at 9.17%, according to a 2025 publication in the French Review of Economics.

Balancing urgency and long-term reform

Both countries have stepped up initiatives in response. In Côte d’Ivoire, the National Internship, Apprenticeship and Retraining Programme provided more than 142,000 opportunities between 2024 and 2025 and is expected to reach over 152,000 beneficiaries in 2026. The government is also expanding infrastructure, with 154 vocational training institutions under development, including several already operational.

In Guinea, authorities announced the creation of 40,000 jobs in February 2024, split between the public and private sectors. The country has also adopted a National Employment Policy for 2024–2030 focused on productive employment and greater inclusion. In Conakry, a centre dedicated to training, employment and entrepreneurship has been established through cooperation between public agencies.

Despite these efforts, increasing the number of opportunities is proving insufficient. The key challenge remains the quality of training. This is the area both countries are targeting through closer cooperation, with the aim of aligning education systems more closely with sustainable employment needs.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou