Morocco/OFFPT and IDB sign MoU to support South-South cooperation

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at supporting South-South cooperation in the field of vocational training was signed on Thursday at the Cité des métiers et des compétences in Tamesna, between the Office de la formation professionnelle et de la promotion du travail (OFPPT) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

Initialled by OFPPT Director General Loubna Tricha and Waleed Addas, Director of the IDB's Regional Center in Rabat, in the presence of Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, President of the IDB Group, the MoU defines a comprehensive framework for cooperation in support of the development capacities of IDB member countries in sub-Saharan Africa.sion of the IDB Group, Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, this MoU defines a global cooperation framework to support the development capacities of IDB member countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

It also establishes an institutional framework for promoting and coordinating joint cooperation actions aimed at developing vocational training systems in these countries, through the "Reverse Linkage" approach advocated by the IDB.s" approach, advocated by the IDB and based on the sharing of experience and the transfer of expertise between a member country with proven know-how in a field of excellence, and a partner country seeking to develop a given sector.

To this end, the memorandum will set up a capacity-building program for member countries, supporting them in terms of setting up training centers in priority sectors, training engineering, and upgrading the skills of trainers and technical-educational staff.

Under this MoU, the OFPPT and the IDB will join forces to roll out high-potential skills training programs and programs to promote entrepreneurship, with a view to equipping the target population with the skills they need to better integrate into the workforce.

To make these projects a reality, the IDB, which will contribute through its Reverse Linkage mechanism for sharing expertise and knowledge, has chosen the OFPPT as a member of its "Community of Developers" for the vocational training sector.

In addition to signing the memorandum, the meeting was an opportunity to congratulate each other on the achievements made since the establishment, in 2017, of a partnership between the two parties, Ms Tricha said in a statement to the press.

The renewal of this partnership aims to broaden the scope of interventions and services offered for the benefit of sub-Saharan African countries, she stressed, highlighting the conviction of both partners in the importance of the importance of developing young people's skills and unleashing their entrepreneurial potential, so that they can play an active part in the economic development of their respective countries.

For his part, Mr. Addas emphasized that the IDB's vocation is to support the development of infrastructures essential to economic growth, but also of human resources, which play an important role in safeguarding development achievements.

He also welcomed the efforts made by both parties to support young people with potential, particularly in the field of vocational training, both in Morocco and on the African continent.

The two parties reiterated their commitment to supporting the creation of other vocational training centers in priority sectors identified by the beneficiary countries, members of the IDB.

In this way, OFPPT will make use of its expertise to carry out preliminary diagnostic missions in terms of these countries' skills needs, as well as for the construction and equipping of vocational training establishments, institutional support and the training of local teams.

In the same vein, the two partners will be looking at ways of multi-stakeholder collaboration and strengthening the network of the African Alliance for the Development of Vocational Training (ADEFOP), which came into being in 2017 and currently has 20 member countries.

As such, other countries are candidates for membership, including Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, the Union of Comoros, Liberia, Libya and the Republic of Congo. Since 2005, OFPPT has welcomed more than 8,470 trainees from over 40 African countries, and trained over 900 trainers.

In addition to missions to diagnose vocational training systems in 17 African countries, OFPPT has provided technical support to 9 countries in the field of training engineering.The main sectors covered were construction and public works, hotels and tourism, transport and logistics, agriculture and agri-food.

The OFPPT and the IDB have a number of successful cooperation projects to their credit, including the training of 160 Guinean trainers over the period 2014-2018, the development of Curricula in Côte d'Ivoire and the creation of the OFPPT in France.Curricula in Côte d'Ivoire in agrifood and industrial trades, and the launch of a project for an agrifood and agro-industry training center in Guinea-Bissau. Other projects are in the pipeline, notably in Cameroon, Djibouti and Mali.

Source: www.mapexpress.ma