The socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is especially hard-hitting for younger generations in Africa. The youth are faced with multiple challenges including disruptions to education, training and on-the-job learning. They are further impacted by employment and income losses due to layoffs and reduced working hours.
Despite massive obstacles, the employment crisis should be an opportunity for immense transformation.
The pandemic has shown that digital technology is now vital for every economy, greatly increasing the potential for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to solve growing problems of unemployment and skills development across the continent.
However, the success of countries’ responses to this crisis, the sustainability of the recovery, and the achievement of long-term development goals will hinge on healthy, skilled, young people contributing their labour, ideas and expertise, particularly in the ICT sector.
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