Highlighting the Importance of EmpIA at the Regional Conference for Labour Based Practitioners in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Geneva (ILO News) – The Strengthen2 team was honored to contribute to the 20th Regional Conference for Labour-Based Practitioners in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between 19-23rd May 2025. The event brought forward new insights on how to align infrastructure and agricultural investments with inclusive employment goals, under the theme ‘Resilient communities and healthy environment: the Employment Intensive Investment (EIIP) approach’.

Ralf Krueger presented his paper, "Leveraging Employment Impact Assessments to Maximize the Social Impact of Infrastructure Investments." His presentation emphasized the critical role of Employment Impact Assessments (EmpIAs) in helping policymakers and practitioners design infrastructure projects that do more than build physical assets—they generate quality jobs, strengthen local economies, and promote equity. Using STRENGTHEN2 tools such as input-output multipliers, GIS analysis, and advanced modeling.

In a breakout session, STRENGTHEN2 colleagues presented papers of EmpIAs. This included research on the impact of drought on employment and agricultural productivity in Zambia. The study - drawing on satellite data and labour force surveys—assessed how agricultural productivity was impacted by drought and the subsequent effects on employment outcomes. The second study, a STRENGTHEN2 EmpIA of the RN4 Road Rehabilitation project in Senegal. The presentation highlighted the direct and non-direct employment effects of the intervention, including how they impacted gender, youth and contributed to decent jobs.

The team's participation helped elevate the conversation on how infrastructure and development investments can be transformed into engines of inclusive, sustainable employment—especially when informed by robust, data-driven assessments.