IOM, AU and Japanese Firms Train Returned Migrants and Ethiopian Youth for AfCFTA Opportunities

Addis Ababa - The International Organization for Migration (IOM), Yokogawa Electric Corporation, NEC Corporation, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Kaizen Excellence Center (KEC) have launched skills training initiatives for returned migrants and young Ethiopians, aiming to help them access opportunities linked to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Yokogawa’s three-day programme at the Kaizen Excellence Center in Addis Ababa brought together 31 participants, mainly entry-level professionals. Yokogawa trainers led sessions on business ethics, logistics, export control and Gulf Cooperation Council trade procedures mainly from Yokogawa experts based in Bahrain, while KEC consultants delivered additional modules.

By building business, digital and employability skills, the programme aims to help young Ethiopians enter AfCFTA-linked value chains, reduce reliance on irregular migration routes and advance the African Union’s Skills Mobility Partnership Framework. 

Additionally, Yokogawa Electric Corporation will select top performers for further evaluation and potential placement in its internship programme and offer international internship opportunities in supply chain at Yokogawa Middle East & Africa B.S.C.

“Today’s launch shows how strategic collaboration can give young people and returned migrants the skills, confidence and networks they need to thrive in a changing regional economy,” said Ethiopia’s State Minister for Skills, H.E. Daniel Teressa. “AfCFTA will only succeed if youth can seize its opportunities, and this initiative is a concrete step in that direction.”

H.E. Sekiguchi Noboru, Ambassador of Japan to the African Union, welcomed the role of Japanese companies in supporting youth skills development in Africa. “Public-private partnership is not merely a modality of cooperation; it is a driver of innovation and sustainable impact,” he said.

Takeshi Hasegawa, representing Yokogawa Electric Corporation, said the company wants to strengthen African talent pipelines. “Through this training and our internship pathway in Bahrain, we aim to build a bridge between African talent and global industry needs,” he said.

A high-level ceremony on 15 July brought together representatives from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Labor and Skills, the Mission of Japan to the African Union, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the African Union Commission. 

Separately, Japanese technology company NEC Corporation and IOM ran a one-day basic programming course for 30 vulnerable migrant returnees, mainly from Myanmar. The training introduced employable digital skills and forms part of wider efforts to reduce the digital divide for youth at risk of irregular migration.

IOM said the initiatives align with its work across Africa to promote safe, orderly and regular migration through stronger labour migration governance, skills mobility partnerships, sustainable reintegration support and expanded economic opportunities for youth and migrants.

The partnerships form part of the Government of Japan-funded project, “Creating Smarter Borders: Enhancing Regular and Safe Mobility Pathways, Connectivity and Integration in Africa through Digitization”, which IOM implements with the African Union Commission.