Vienna, 22 April 2025 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Belgian International Cooperation Agency (Enabel) signed a new partnership agreement to jointly implement the project Unis pour l’Éducation et l’Emploi (United for Education and Employment) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Funded by the European Union (EU), this initiative will be implemented by Enabel and UNIDO. It aims to improve access to quality education and foster employability among young people and women by strengthening the Congolese Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem.

The project represents a strategic response to the socio-economic challenges in the DRC, including high youth unemployment, a significant skills mismatch, and gender disparities in education and employment. Through targeted interventions in the provinces of Kinshasa, Haut-Katanga, and Lualaba, the project will support the modernization of vocational training centres, the alignment of curricula with labor market needs, and the promotion of entrepreneurship.

Enabel’s Managing Director, Jean Van Wetter, remarked, “Enabel is delighted to work with UNIDO and the Government of DRC to innovate in the way vocational training is delivered, working more with investors and the private sector to ensure that we meet new demands. In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, partnership is the only way to succeed."

The agreement marks an important milestone in the working relationship between Enabel and UNIDO, rooted in a shared vision of development that prioritizes human capital development, private sector engagement, and institutional resilience.

“This partnership reinforces UNIDO’s commitment to sustainable economic and industrial development through education and skills training. Together with Enabel, we aim to empower Congolese youth and women to become agents of economic transformation,” said Fatou Haidara, UNIDO’s Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations. 

The Unis pour l’Éducation et l’Emploi project reflects UNIDO’s commitment to sustainable economic and industrial development by strengthening skills, boosting entrepreneurship, and supporting youth access to decent jobs in critical economic sectors. By aligning vocational training with market needs and focusing on youth and women, the initiative aims to contribute to long-term economic transformation in the DRC and to support the country’s integration into sustainable global value chains.

For more information, please contact: 

Maximilian Pierotti

Industrial Development Expert

Skills Development, Entrepreneurship and Fair Production Unit