The China Funds-in-Trust Phase 3 (CFIT III) project, launched in partnership between the Chinese government and UNESCO, has gained recognition for equipping African youth with market-relevant skills. Its success was highlighted at the 2024 UNESCO Forum on Higher Education in Africa held in Nairobi.
Initiated in 2019, the project has enhanced the capacity of 12 higher education institutions in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda, supporting young people in their transition to the workforce. With $20 million in funding from China, the project aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 to promote skills development across the continent.
Yang Xinyu, Representative of the Chinese Ambassador to UNESCO, stated that the project has benefited over 24,000 people through education, capacity-building, gender equality initiatives, and industry partnerships. Louise Haxthausen, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for Eastern Africa, highlighted its success in fostering university-industry collaboration and improving youth employability.
Ethiopian Minister of Higher Education Kora Tushune emphasized that the project has enhanced youth skills in public service, health, and technology sectors. UNESCO official Borhene Chakroun noted that it has established new mechanisms for collaboration between universities and labor markets, creating opportunities for young people to thrive.