Ethiopia to Host 3rd African Job Forum, Push Continental Employment Agenda

Addis Ababa, July 4, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia is set to host the 3rd African Job Creation Forum from July 7–9, 2025, in Addis Ababa, aiming to accelerate job creation across the continent through agricultural innovation and agro-industrialization.

Briefing the media ahead of the event, Minister of Labor and Skills, Muferiat Kamil, emphasized that the forum will serve as a critical platform for driving inclusive and sustainable employment, especially for Africa’s growing youth population.

“This forum is more than a dialogue—it is a catalyst for change. It addresses the urgent need to create meaningful jobs as a social, economic, and political imperative for Africa’s stability and prosperity,” the Minister stated.

Held under the theme “Advancing Job Creation and Economic Resilience through Regional Integration, Digital and Financial Inclusion along Agricultural Value Chains in the AfCFTA Market,” the forum is organized in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia, the African Union Commission (AUC), the AfCFTA Secretariat, and the AeTrade Group.

The event coincides with the 5th Africa Integration Day on July 7 and will convene top-level policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and thought leaders from across the continent. Discussions will center on regional integration, free movement, and the establishment of AU financial institutions as core enablers of Africa’s economic transformation.

Minister Muferiat noted that digital platforms, financial services, and AfCFTA protocols hold immense potential to unlock employment—particularly within agricultural value chains—for underserved communities.

She further highlighted that agro-innovation is transforming agriculture from subsistence into a job-creating engine by harnessing technology and value addition. Inclusive finance and insurance are also expanding access to capital for SMEs and smallholder farmers, driving local growth.

“This strategic gathering brings together visionaries and decision-makers committed to unlocking Africa’s demographic dividend and agricultural potential,” she concluded. “By aligning policy, investment, innovation, and regional cooperation, we are shaping a more resilient and prosperous future for all Africans.”

The upcoming forum is expected to mark a milestone in Africa’s employment agenda and reinforce momentum for long-term, structural job creation across the continent.