By Caroline Washaya Moyo
HARARE – African countries have been urged to translate the commitments made during Africa Skills Week 2026 into practical national programmes that strengthen industrial competitiveness, expand employment opportunities and accelerate the continent’s economic transformation.
Speaking at the farewell cocktail marking the official closure of the five-day event in Harare, Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Hon. Jenfan Muswere, said Africa’s progress depended on bridging the gap between continental policy commitments and implementation on the ground.
He thanked the African Union Commission (AUC), African Union (AU) Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), development partners and sponsors for their contributions to the successful hosting of the event, which brought together stakeholders to explore strategies for advancing Africa’s skills agenda and the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
“Too often, bold pronouncements have not yielded practical outcomes. Yet, Africa Skills Week 2026 has demonstrated that this gap can be closed,” he said.
Dr Muswere said discussions ranging from youth-led innovation pitches and ministerial roundtables to industry partnerships and skills intelligence had demonstrated the continent’s determination to move from policy formulation to measurable results.
He said technical and vocational education and training (TVET) should be recognised as critical economic infrastructure rather than an alternative to conventional academic pathways.
The minister identified inadequate financing, outdated perceptions of vocational education and the undervaluation of apprenticeships as barriers requiring urgent attention. He called for stronger collaboration between governments, educational institutions and industry to ensure training responds to actual labour-market needs.
Skills critical to AfCFTA success
Dr Muswere said the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) required more than tariff reductions, stressing that Africa needed a skilled workforce capable of producing competitive, high-value goods and services.
“The true catalyst of free trade is human capability and ingenuity,” he said.
He noted that expanding trade in processed agricultural products, pharmaceuticals and digital services would depend on specialised skills, technological innovation and stronger industrial capacity.
Zimbabwe shared its experiences in implementing AfCFTA commitments, modernising trade systems and advancing Heritage-Based Education 5.0, which seeks to connect education, innovation and industrial development.
The minister highlighted the country’s apprenticeship model, which combines classroom instruction with supervised industrial experience to prepare learners for workplace demands.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s TVET expansion, Ethiopia’s industrial parks and South Africa’s renewable energy sector as examples of initiatives demonstrating the importance of aligning technical expertise with economic priorities.
He said these experiences underscored the value of continental cooperation and the exchange of practical solutions suited to individual countries’ development needs.
Harare Declaration must deliver results
Dr Muswere said Africa Skills Week 2026 had produced tangible outcomes, including policy advisory notes, validated industry partnerships, mapped country-level actions and commitments on financing, inclusion and accountability.
The event also advanced discussions on a roadmap towards an annual Africa Education and Skills Summit to sustain continental dialogue and strengthen implementation.
He urged AU Member States to ensure the Harare Declaration became a practical framework guiding governments, parliaments, industries and training institutions.
“Accountability must be continental, but action must be national and local,” he said.
Dr Muswere called on each Member State to develop clear implementation plans aligned with the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2026–2035 and the Continental TVET Strategy 2025–2034.
For Zimbabwe, the outcomes provided an opportunity to reinforce the link between education, industrialisation and the country’s broader economic development objectives under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
Africa’s future lies in collective action
In his closing remarks, Dr Muswere said Africa stood at a turning point, with its future resting on political commitment, sustained investment and the determination to build resilient, competitive industries.
He urged delegates to leave Harare committed to turning the week’s resolutions into concrete programmes that benefit businesses, communities and young people across the continent.
“Africa’s skills are the currency of our integration, the engine of our industries, and the promise we deliver to our youth,” he said.
Dr Muswere officially declared Africa Skills Week 2026 closed on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, wishing delegates a safe journey home.
He said the event should be remembered not merely as a gathering of ideas, but as a turning point in Africa’s resolve to pursue practical, coordinated action towards industrialisation and economic self-reliance.
Africa Skills Week 2026 was held in Harare from 12 to 16 October under the theme “Skills for Resilient and Competitive African Industries: From Training to Value Creation.”
The event provided a continental platform for strengthening cooperation on workforce development, industrial transformation and the skills needed to advance Africa’s integration and the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
