The 4 th Annual National Youth Skills development Expo took place on Friday, 28 th Oct 2016 at the Uganda Museum. This brought a number of exhibitors and other invited guests, where the Chief guest was Hon. Janet Museveni Kataaha, Minister of Education and Sports, who was represented by the Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development, Hon. Janat Mukwaya, honored by other guests who included the Minister of Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi; Youth Members of Parliament, other Youth leaders, UNDP Country Director, Head of European Union Delegation in Uganda, other Development Partners present, among other official guests.
The Youth MP, Western Uganda and chairperson of the UPFYA, Hon. Mwine Mpaka, imploring government to respond to major youth concerns that will spur employment and development of skills, noted that as youth leaders, they are committed to ensuring that legislation and representation of the youth is effectively taken on towards dealing with the unemployment challenge and will be committed to champion youth skilling initiatives.
Ms. Lillian Aber, the National Youth Council chairperson, noted that the council has gone on board in promoting development oriented policies which support, entrepreneurship and innovation, productive activities, and demand for programmes that equip young people with right skills and knowledge for decent job creation and to eradicate poverty.
In his speech, the Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Uganda, Ambassador. Kristian Schmidt called on government to undertake reforms of the school curricula to prioritize vocational training. He further said the EU has collaborated with the government on pro-youth policy, to ensure that youth with skills have a given level of certification. He noted that the EU is going to extend a Sh.57b support to Uganda’s sustainable beef / meat industry, which will go to both the public and private sectors focusing mainly on small holders and small agribusiness.
The youth had the opportunities to interact, learn from each other and appreciate each other’s efforts in addressing unemployment, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals and developing the country.