Africa-Press – Namibia. PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah presented Namibia’s first progress report on youth unemployment and outlined key reforms to expand skills development, job creation and youth empowerment at continental level, while also urging African leaders to prioritise sustainable water and sanitation as central to Africa’s development agenda.
Speaking at the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia’s report reflects the country’s commitment to peer accountability, good governance and inclusive development. She congratulated incoming Forum chair Yoweri Museveni and thanked outgoing chair Abdelmadjid Tebboune for his leadership, urging member states to move beyond commitments and fully implement their national action plans.
The President outlined reforms aimed at reducing youth unemployment, including education transformation, expanded technical and vocational training, improved coordination of government programmes, stronger local content policies, agro-value chain development, and the establishment of the Welwitschia Fund to ensure young people benefit from natural resource revenues.
She reported progress made between December 2021 and December 2025, citing the rollout of nationwide internship and apprenticeship programmes, youth entrepreneurship financing, the expansion of vocational training centres in all regions, and a subsidised tertiary education model to widen access to skills development. She stressed that partnerships between government, the private sector and development partners remain essential to preparing young people for a changing labour market.
Addressing leaders at African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa ahead of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted the summit theme on sustainable water and sanitation under Agenda 2063. She said water security is a development priority for the continent, particularly in the face of climate change, and called for responsible stewardship of water resources to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods.
Emphasising youth empowerment as both a national and continental priority, the President warned that uncertainty about young people’s futures threatens Africa’s prospects, and urged leaders to translate policy commitments into tangible opportunities for the youth of the continent.
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