As part of our project in the Comoros—Shawiri, funded by the European Union—we participated in the Conference of Mayors on Decentralized Cooperation and Partnerships for Youth Employment in Municipalities, organized as part of the 6th edition of the Job Fair at the Maison de l’Emploi in the Comoros.
This meeting brought together mayors and representatives from municipalities, public institutions, youth and civil society organizations, economic stakeholders, as well as technical and financial partners to discuss the theme: “Decentralized Cooperation and Partnerships: What Municipal Solutions Exist for Youth Employment and Integration?” ”
Youth employment is a major challenge for the economic and social development of municipalities. Despite their potential, many young people still face difficulties in accessing employment, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and support programs. As local actors, municipalities play a key role in promoting the professional integration of young people and contributing to the creation of economic opportunities tailored to local realities. Strengthening their capacity for action through decentralized cooperation and partnerships with public institutions, the private sector, civil society, and development partners was thus at the heart of the discussions.
In this context, ECES was invited to share its expertise on community-based services as a lever for promoting decent work at the local level. ECES’s contribution highlighted the role that municipalities and local services can play in creating an environment conducive to employment and the socioeconomic integration of young people. It was part of a broader discussion on how local governments can mobilize their resources, strengthen local initiatives, and develop partnerships to better meet young people’s needs regarding employment and economic opportunities.
Through its participation, ECES also contributed to discussions on strengthening the role of municipalities as actors in economic and social development, emphasizing the importance of community-based approaches and cooperation among local authorities, economic actors, civil society, and technical and financial partners.
More broadly, the conference aimed to strengthen municipalities’ commitment and develop decentralized cooperation partnerships to promote youth employment, professional integration, and entrepreneurship. Discussions focused on promoting existing initiatives, sharing experiences and best practices among local governments, exploring the opportunities offered by decentralized cooperation, and identifying partners and priority sectors for youth employment and entrepreneurship. The meeting also encouraged the development of municipal and inter-municipal projects in support of youth.
These exchanges helped identify avenues for collaboration between municipalities, technical and financial partners, and economic stakeholders, with the aim of transforming the ideas identified into concrete and sustainable initiatives at the local level. Expected outcomes include, in particular, the identification of potential partners and priority sectors for intervention, the formulation of project ideas to promote youth employment, and the development of commitments to new partnerships.
Following the conference, the Maison de l’Emploi will oversee the process by consolidating the recommendations, contacting the identified partners, turning the selected ideas into project proposals, seeking available funding, and ensuring that the commitments made by the various parties are followed through.
Through its participation in this initiative as part of the Shawiri project, ECES continues to support local governance, dialogue, and cooperation among stakeholders, helping to strengthen the role of local governments in finding inclusive and sustainable solutions for young people.
