By Sabri Dibaco
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called for stronger partnerships between vocational training institutions and employers to address skills shortages and improve employment opportunities for young people and women in Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Speaking to the journalist, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Sheila Ngatia said training programmes should respond to labour market demands to ensure graduates acquire practical skills that match available jobs.
The call follows a new labour market assessment presented in Juba on Tuesday, which found that only 38.9 per cent of surveyed employers believed job applicants possessed the skills required for available positions.
The report further revealed that among employers struggling to fill vacancies, 88.9 per cent cited insufficient skills as a major challenge.
Agriculture was identified as the sector with the greatest employment potential, with 75.4 per cent of surveyed employers pointing to opportunities in the industry.
Other sectors identified as having potential to create jobs include livestock, agro-processing, construction, information and communication technology, and fisheries.
Despite these opportunities, access to finance remains a significant challenge for micro and small enterprises, particularly those owned by women.
According to the assessment, only 9.1 per cent of women-owned businesses had ever received financing, compared with 21.5 per cent of businesses owned by men.
The report also found that 73.7 per cent of surveyed micro and small enterprises were unregistered, although 80.3 per cent planned to expand their operations.
Poor road networks, high transport costs, limited access to markets and inadequate capital were identified as additional barriers preventing businesses from growing and creating employment.
Stephen Doctor Matatia, Director General for External Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, called for practical training and coordinated implementation of the assessment’s recommendations to address the challenges facing jobseekers and entrepreneurs.
The assessment was conducted under the Job Creation through Youth and Women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (JMSE) project, financed by the African Development Bank and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Running from 2025 to 2028, the project operates through government-owned business hubs in Aweil and Wau.
It aims to train 1,060 young people and 830 women, establish 378 new youth- and women-led enterprises, and support 100 existing businesses with growth potential.
The report recommends employer-led training, apprenticeships, improved access to finance and stronger market connections to help young people and women secure jobs and develop sustainable businesses.
It also calls for employment programmes to be assessed based on tangible outcomes, including jobs created, business survival and improved incomes, rather than simply counting the number of people who complete training.