The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have signed a new strategic partnership agreement for 2023-2024 to strengthen the skills development eco-system in targeted countries and contribute to human development objectives. Decent Work as well as Norwegian priorities of green energy, food security, equality and inclusive societies are at the centre of this cooperation.

Through this lightly earmarked contribution for the ILO’s development cooperation activities, Norway will support skills development and lifelong learning in Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Malawi, Senegal and Tanzania through:

• Providing timely, accurate and forward-looking anticipation of future skills needs;
• Increasing the number of women and men benefiting from skills and lifelong learning programmes and services;
• Strengthening effective governance and coordination in skills systems to improve policies and financing arrangements; and
• Enhancing global knowledge base, innovation, partnerships and capacity building to empower constituents to tackle contemporary skills challenges.

The agreement is a new phase of a long-standing partnership between the ILO and the Government of Norway on skills development. For the last four years, the collaboration has enabled support to selected countries to develop, upscale and institutionalise approaches such as private sector led governance structures and innovative skills anticipation, training and assessments.

It will continue to support constituents by providing technical expertise, building capacity, and supporting them to implement pilot programmes, with a particular attention given to vulnerable groups. This partnership ultimately contributes to achieving Outcome 5 of the ILO’s Programme and Budget 2022-23, Skills and lifelong learning to facilitate access to and transitions in the labour market.