• Mali participated as guest of honor at Guinea’s third Skills Olympiad focused on vocational excellence.

• Officials from both countries aligned on vocational training as a strategic lever for employment.

• Rising youth unemployment in Mali and Guinea is driving policy shifts toward skills development.

Mali is positioning skills development and youth employment as national priorities as it strengthens regional cooperation with Guinea.

Oumou Sall Seck, Mali's Minister of National Entrepreneurship, Employment and Vocational Training, traveled to Conakry on Monday, April 20 to represent Bamako at the third edition of the Guinea Skills Olympiad, according to an official government statement. Organizers placed the event under the theme “The power of skills: revealing talent, promoting excellence.”

Mali attended the event as guest of honor, signaling its ambition to strengthen its role in subregional exchanges on training and employment. The event will take place from April 22 to 24 at the Palais du Peuple and will bring together 130 finalists, more than 70 training institutions, and around 60 industry experts from several countries.

A One-on-One Meeting Opens Doors

Upon arrival, Oumou Sall Seck met with Alpha Bacar Barry. The Malian side described the meeting as “fruitful,” and both officials confirmed a shared ambition. They stated that “a convergence of views establishes vocational training as a strategic lever.”

At the opening ceremony, the Malian minister praised the initiative and described it as a source of hope for African youth. “Skills are not mere occupations; they are an essential lever for economic, social and human development,” she said. She added that promoting excellence and valuing competencies prepares a generation capable of meeting future challenges.

For his part, Alpha Bacar Barry called on Guinea’s private sector to invest in training. “If you do not invest in training, it will cost you more to import skills,” he warned.

Labor Markets Under Pressure

This engagement comes as both countries face mounting pressure in their labor markets. In Mali, youth unemployment remains a primary concern. A 2024 Afrobarometer report shows that the unemployment rate for those aged 18–25 reached 28%, more than double the rate for those aged 26–35. Although formal employment is increasing, it is not absorbing total demand. In 2025, authorities created about 65,500 jobs, including 28,700 in the private sector, compared with 32,300 the previous year, according to official government data.

In Guinea, the Observatoire national du travail estimates overall unemployment at between 4.8% and 5.2%, with more than 53,000 job seekers recorded as of January 1, 2025. More critically, 34% of young people aged 15 to 24 are not in employment, education, or training. In response, Conakry adopted in July 2025 a national quality apprenticeship strategy for 2026–2030 built around work-study programs.

At the continental level, the African Development Bank reports that young people account for 60% of total unemployment in Africa, while two-thirds lack stable jobs or remain in precarious employment. Against this backdrop, Mali’s participation in the Conakry event underscores a clear policy signal: authorities are prioritizing skills and partnerships to build youth employability.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum