A new partnership with the World Food Program to implement training programs on green professions

Partnerships between governments and international organizations are among the basic pillars of supporting sustainable development efforts, especially in light of the economic and social challenges facing many countries. These partnerships contribute to exchanging experiences and providing the necessary resources to implement development programs aimed at improving the standard of living and enhancing job opportunities, especially for the most needy groups in society.

In this context, the importance of investing in skills development and vocational training is highlighted as one of the effective tools to empower young people and raise their efficiency, in line with the requirements of the changing labor market. Strengthening training and qualification programs also contributes to supporting economic and social development paths, providing decent work, and opening new horizons for young people to actively participate in building a more sustainable future.

WFP Delegation

In this spirit, Mr. Hassan Raddad, Minister of Labor, received, at the headquarters of the Ministry’s General Office, a delegation from the World Food Program in Egypt, headed by Mrs. Rod Al-Hilli, Director of the Program’s office in Egypt, and with the participation of Engineer Doaa Arafa, Head of the Social Protection Sector, to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation during the next stage. The meeting discussed a number of files of common interest between the Ministry of Labor and the World Food Program, foremost of which are the areas of training, qualification, skills development, and supporting the state’s efforts. In empowering youth and creating decent job opportunities.

The Minister also appreciated the joint efforts and activities that were implemented in cooperation with the World Food Program during the last period, especially in the areas of vocational training and employment, in addition to the implementation of the geospatial information portal for the labor market, which is an important tool to support planning and link training to the needs of the labor market, thus contributing to providing decent work for young people and enhancing the efficiency of the training and employment system.

This focus on training and skills development reflects the Ministry’s commitment to achieving (Goal 4) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which seeks to provide quality education and continuous learning opportunities that enable young people to acquire the skills necessary for the labor market.

A specific strategy for the continuation of the program

The Minister stressed during the meeting the importance of developing a specific strategy to continue joint cooperation with the program, based on setting clear timelines for the completion of files and projects of common interest, which contributes to achieving tangible results on the ground.

During the meeting, the importance of intensifying efforts in the field of training in green professions was emphasized, as they are among the future professions that are in increasing demand in the labor market, and that the Ministry pays special attention to training and qualifying young people in modern skills that are in line with the requirements of sustainable development. The strategy should also include focusing on a number of regions as a preliminary stage for implementing training and qualification programs, in preparation for expanding this experience during the coming stages, in a way that contributes to supporting local development and creating new job opportunities for youth.

For her part, Mrs. Rod Al-Hilli, Director of the Program Office in Egypt, expressed her great appreciation for the existing cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Labor, stressing the Program’s keenness to strengthen the partnership with the Ministry during the coming period, and to support initiatives and programs aimed at developing youth skills and empowering the most needy groups.

Green professions training

For jobs to be classified as green professions, according to the International Labor Organization’s definition, they must be decent jobs that contribute to preserving or restoring the environment, by improving the efficiency of the use of energy and raw materials, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste and pollution as much as possible, in addition to protecting and restoring ecosystems, and supporting efforts to adapt to the effects of climate change.

The focus on green professions comes in line with (Goal 13) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate action, as it enhances the capabilities of young people to work in jobs that contribute to protecting the environment and supporting the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

This partnership comes in line with the country’s vision to enhance the workforce’s ability to acquire the necessary skills to meet the requirements of emerging sustainable sectors, such as Renewable Energy andWaste Management and agricultural resource efficiency. This trend is emerging at a time when the global labor market is witnessing profound changes as a result of technological innovation and climate challenges, making investment in human capital a key tool for achieving a just transition towards a green economy.

About the World Food Program

It is worth noting that the United Nations World Food Program is the largest humanitarian organization in the world that saves lives in emergency situations and uses food assistance to pave the way towards peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflicts, disasters and the effects of climate change.

The program works to improve nutrition in women and children, support smallholder farmers to improve their productivity and reduce their losses, help countries and communities prepare for and deal with climate shocks, and enhance human capital through school feeding programmes.

In conclusion, the partnership between the Egyptian Ministry of Labor and the World Food Program to implement training programs in green professions represents a clear model of how to combine governmental and international efforts to build qualified human capital to meet the challenges of the future. It extends to creating decent job opportunities, promoting local development, and supporting the transition towards a green economy, in order to achieve resource sustainability and environmental protection.

The The Earth Guards Foundation confirms that this cooperation indicates that investing in people is the cornerstone of any sustainable development strategy, as it combines empowering youth, enhancing their competencies, and responding to changing labor market requirements, while achieving a positive environmental impact through green professions. It also believes that this partnership is a strategic step towards an integrated and sustainable future that links economic, social and environmental development in a unique and integrated way.