Businesses, policy makers, TVET schools, secondary and higher education professionals, youth organizations and civil society from Southern Africa will come together on September 22nd & 23rd 2021 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (South African Standard Time) to discuss ‘Skills and Jobs for Southern Africa’s Economic Growth’. Southern Africa is the region that was hardest hit by the pandemic, with an economic contraction of 7.0 percent in 2020. The disruption of the tourism industry and the containment measures have led to significant slowdowns in the states of the region. Mining-dependent economies continued to experience output contractions in the second half of 2020. However, the growth rate is expected to increase by 3.2% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2022 (World Bank, AfDB). In this context, businesses are seeking to adapt to new market needs and new business processes. The demand for capacities in leadership, change management, digitalization and remote work is skyrocketing, yet these skills are in limited supply.

As the Southern African region adjusts to this new economic challenges, key questions arise:

• What are the key sectors of the economy that can ensure growth and create jobs?

• What are the skills needed to drive growth and competitiveness in these sectors?

• What are the linkages, policies and practices needed to create the synergy among public and private stakeholders to seize these opportunities?

• What are the key lessons from the experience of the SADC in facilitating economic growth and job creation?

Join the discussions to reflect, learn and share your experiences in order to determine policies and strategies for your region