Canada announces over $16 million in funding to improve employment opportunities for youth in Benin

July 4, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

Providing young people in developing countries with more opportunities to complete vocational training makes it easier for them to find good work and reach their full potential. Canada is committed to supporting programs that help young people get the skills they need to succeed and contribute to the economic success of their communities and their countries.

Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, announced that Canada will provide $16.95 million in funding over 7 years to Éducation Internationale [international education] to improve the vocational training offered to young men and women in Benin and to improve the services they are offered for their professional integration in sectors considered economically promising.

Specifically, this initiative will help reduce the multiple barriers that youths, particularly women and girls, face before, during and after their vocational training that reduce their employment opportunities. The project will also facilitate their integration into the labour market, particularly in non-traditional and green jobs.

This project is aligned with Benin’s various priorities, including the National Policy for the Promotion of Gender and the National Strategy for Strengthening Human Resources, Learning and Skills Development to Support Green, Low Emissions and Climate-Resilient Development. It will contribute to strengthening Benin’s vocational training and apprenticeship system to achieve the country’s socio-economic development objectives.