The ACQF Policy Document was developed within the project AU-EU Skills for Youth Employability Initiative for Africa (SIFA), which was co-funded by Germany and the EU. The new phase began in April 2023 and has strong emphasis on implementation at continental, regional and national level. During the validation and launch, the progress, opportunities and challenges of the project activities were discussed among the participants. 

Youth unemployment remains a persistent challenge in Africa. The ACQF will allow the comparability of qualifications across Africa so that young people can access work and study opportunities beyond  their own borders. The policy also enhances regional integration as well as complementing related policies such as the African Continental Free Trade Area which envisages free movement of people in order to reap the benefits of economic integration. The ACQF aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, its First Ten Year Implementation Plan (2023) and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (16-25).

ACQF II forms part of the Youth for Mobility flagship which is part of the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, announced at AU-EU summit of February 2022. The flagship places ongoing and upcoming EU-supported initiatives under one comprehensive umbrella that covers international learning mobility, capacity building in higher education, skills development, quality assurance, qualification frameworks, and youth leadership in Africa.  It ensures that joint initiatives work together to ensure harmonisation, synergies and coordination between EU and African partners. It is an excellent example of AU-EU cooperation. 

His Excellency Prof Mohammed Belhocine – Commissioner ESTI, said, : “The ACQF is an ambitious initiative that aims to harmonize and enhance the recognition of qualifications across Africa. By establishing a standardized framework, we can ensure that the knowledge, skills, and competencies attained by our learners are valued and recognized not only within individual countries but across borders. This will undoubtedly facilitate the mobility of African professionals, encouraging innovation, collaboration, and economic growth in the process.”

Deputy Head of EU Delegation to the AU Riccardo Mosca, said, “The EU is a committed partner of the African Union. This new phase of ACQF illustrates this partnership as we jointly address the problem of youth unemployment in Africa while also contributing to continental integration in the field of education. In that sense, I commend the strong partnership between the EU, ETF and the African Union Commission”   

Contact

• Mr. Chigozie Emmanuel Okonkwo| Programme Officer| Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation | African Union Commission | E-mail: OkonkwoC@africa-union.org

• Biruk Feleke, Press and Information Officer, EU Delegation to the African Union Biruk.FELEKE@eeas.europa.eu
• Eduarda Castel Branco, | Senior Human Capital Development Expert, European Training Foundation Eduarda.Castel-Branco@etf.europa.eu