Silatech, a non-government non-profit, socio-economic development organization that empowers youth through capacity building, direct job placement and enterprise development for marginalized communities worldwide, has launched a powerful youth dialogue series at the side-lines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly that will help youth turn challenges into opportunities within an economic development context and through employment creation in the Middle East, North Africa region and beyond.

Within the event framework, a partnership agreement has been announced between Silatech and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). It will further create socio- economic opportunities for unemployed youth in MENA.

The partnership will launch a program together with Education for Employment Foundation (EFE) in Morocco, aiming to connect youth with decent employment. Silatech and BMGF will continue to explore interventions to advance employment opportunities in other countries in the region.

A key component of the initiative is highlighting the importance and urgency of promoting youth re-skilling and capacity building to achieve decent employment for young men and women among diverse industry sectors.

The inaugural Silatech Youth Dialogue Series, UNGA Edition held with the participation of Generation Unlimited, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the UN, was themed “The Role of Youth Socio-Economic Empowerment in Achieving Global Resilience in the Covid-19 Era.”

 The Youth Dialogue Series featured remarks by young men and women advocates representing several countries and advocacy groups from around the world to explore innovative ideas and solutions that address the challenges young people endure worldwide in alignment with the UN Youth Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

On occasion of the event, HE Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed Al Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, commented: “The Covid- 19 pandemic has had a serious impact on young workers and those transitioning to employment, particularly young women. Qatar based organizations are actively working to provide youth with the necessary skills and connecting them from learning to employment.”

Hassan Ali AlMulla, CEO Silatech, said: “The instability of the economic landscape continues to place marginalized youth at greater risk of forced displacement, thereby inhibiting their capabilities to achieve their full potential. They are the evolutionary

catalyst that fuels change to a better future, and therefore our collaborative efforts are crucial to navigate this paradigm shift in the post-Covid19 marketplace.”

Dr Kevin Frey, CEO Generation Unlimited, commented:  “Young people today represent one-quarter of the world’s population – a generation of this magnitude has enormous opportunity to transform economic and social outcomes in line with the Social Development Goals.Yet, this is a world that is increasingly challenging for young people to navigate. With such profound shifts on the horizon, we have to take action, accelerating scalable, investable ideas and innovations that can support young people to acquire the skills they need to thrive in the world of work.“

Hassan Damluji, Deputy Director – Middle East and East Asia, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said: “Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on young people around the world, making it harder for them to access and ramp up the skills they need to build their livelihoods. This is why we are proud to work alongside Silatech to help create opportunities for the youth in Morocco, a country where 30 percent of the population is under the age of 15. As we emerge from the pandemic, this grant will help young Moroccans access trainings, job matching, and job placements in high-demand sectors, thereby providing them with opportunities to help build more resilient communities. Education for Employment is an ideal partner to execute on this ambition, given its extensive experience in youth empowerment across the Middle East and North Africa.”