Due to the high unemployment rate ravaging the African continent, the European Union (EU) has partnered with Africa, by launching a campaign tagged ‘we see Africa’, which is aimed at job creation.
The Africa–EU campaign reflects on some of the initiatives that position the two continents as model, ambitious, dynamic, and reliable partners.
It also highlights the strength of the partnership, which has brought together people and institutions of both continents in pursuit of common goals for a better world.
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The campaigns will run simultaneously in Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, and build on the resounding success of a previous one conducted across seven other African countries from 2020-2021.
The selected faces for the campaign in Nigeria are Nigerian musician and “Billionaire” crooner Teniola Akpata Aka Teni, content creator Eniola Adeoluwa popularly known as Eni, and 32-year-old Frederick, a local shoe manufacturer, and Ogola Lois Kange.
Speaking to the press in Lagos on the development of the campaign, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Samuela Isopi, said: “Youths are major targets of the scheme. We will work with national influencers to express our shared values and aspirations; showcase local success stories generated by our partnership; and connect with a new audience of young Africans, leveraging pop culture.
“Africa shares a rich history with the EU, its closest neighbor. Collaborating with Africa to find a solution to common challenges is, more than ever before, a key priority for the EU.
“Our long history of interaction and geographical proximity has over the years, inspired us to be creative and ambitious in the way we confront our common problems; preserve our shared values, and work towards our common interest and goals.”
Ms. Isopi further added that Nigeria which is Africa’s most populous nation, is a key partner of the EU within the African continent, noting that the vibrancy, dynamism, motivation, and resilience of Nigeria’s young population reflect the uniqueness of a continent-fired-up by imaginative ideas and relentless optimism. From the prism of Nigeria, the EU sees Africa.
She disclosed that within the context of its strategic partnership with Nigeria, the EU has been providing support to the country to promote peace and security, democratic governance and rule of law, human rights and freedoms, and prosperity.
Key features of the EU’s cooperation with Nigeria include regular political and policy dialogues and strengthened collaboration to fight violent extremism, and improve indices of human development, good governance, migration, trade, and regional integration.
This is not the first time the EU is partnering with the African continent, it has done so on several occasions. In March 2022, the EU strengthened its partnership with WHO to boost local manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa.
Looking at its ‘we see Africa’ campaign which is aimed at job creation for youths, it will really transform the African continent. According to the world bank, Youths account for 60% of all of Africa’s jobless, noting that in African countries, youth unemployment occurs at a rate more than twice that for adults.
Africa has a large population of vibrant youths, which when equipped with relevant jobs, will contribute greatly to the African economy.