Ethiopia to unveil ambitious job creation plan

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

Ethiopian government said on Wednesday it plans to create 3 million jobs this budget year which began on July 8.

This came at a joint press conference by Jobs Creation Commissioner Ephrem Lemango and CEO of the Canadian company Master Card Reeta Roy ahead of a jobs summit to be held on Thursday.

According to Lemango, 20 million young people will need jobs over the coming decade and Ethiopia is planning to provide 2 million jobs every year over a decade.

"In Ethiopia, [each year] 2 million people reach the [legal] working age of 15," he said adding that an updated study is required to find out the exact rate of unemployment in the country.

"Some 3 million people surveyed will be seeking jobs in addition to the 2 million people reaching the working age each year," making unemployment remain to be an enormous problem.

"The Ethiopian government has proposed a macro economic reform aimed at sustaining the economy under which jobs creation has been given a prominent attention.

"It is not, however, unemployment which is the major issue, but underemployment and underpayment," he added.

The job creation plan, proposing 20 million jobs over the next decade, will be unveiled on Thursday, the Commissioner said.

Under the partnership between the Ethiopian government and the Canadian company Master Card, more than 10 million young people were expected to access "dignified and fulfilling work opportunities in Ethiopia by 2030," Roy said.

Master Card launches an initiative dubbed "Young Africa Works in Ethiopia" for which it earmarked a financial commitment of $300 million.