A Continental Education Conference convened by African Union in collaboration with UNICEF and hosted by the Republic of Mauritania opened on 9 December 2024 in Nouakchott, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, with a strong commitment to advocate for, the scaling up of successful and innovative solutions towards achieving quality and equitable education, to meet the demands of the 21st century in Africa. The conference further aims to exploring and agreeing on sustainable financing mechanisms for education in Africa, and pave the way for a long-term vision of Education as a catalyst of Africa’s development, with the proposal for the African Union to declare 2025-2034 as the “Decade of Accelerated Action for the Transformation of Education and Skills Development in Africa.”

Addressing the particiants at the opening of the conference, H.E. Mrs. Houda Babbah, Minister of Education and Reform of Mauritania, gave a welcome message that demonstrated Mauritania’s dedication to this transformative goal. She emphasised    that education is a major force behind the continent's wealth and for sustainable development, stressing the importance of regional collaboration in accomplishing these objectives.

H.E. Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation of the African Union Commission (AUC), on his part, highlighted the significant progress in advancing Africa's education agenda in alignment with Ageenda 2063. He further highlighted the following key achievements under the sector of education:

On Agenda 2063 strategic updates, the AU Commissioner said, education and skills development strategies have been revised as part of the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (TYIP) to align with emerging global and continental priorities.

On Implementation of Core Initiatives, Commissioner Belhocine indicated that, The Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) has been instrumental in enhancing education accessibility, quality, and relevance. Adding that, the TVET Strategy supports technical and vocational education to ensure alignment with modern economic demands.

With regards to Demonstrable Success Stories, the Commissioner underlined that, governments are increasingly prioritizing education in national agendas, while communities actively invest in their children's learning, and young people advocate for their education and develop the skills necessary for a sustainable future.

These developments, according to Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, signify a collective stride towards equipping Africa's population with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. “The continental education conference is a unique opportunity to collectively chart the next phase of this journey, support educators as the bedrock of our education systems and ultimately the development of our nations; and embed inclusion and resilience, particularly for girls, and children with disabilities,” Prof. Belhocine concluded with an inspiring call to action, emphasizing the potential to redefine Africa’s future through education. He highlighted the need for relentless dedication to provide equitable and transformative educational opportunities for Africa’s youth, ensuring their empowerment to build a prosperous continent.

Over the next three days, participants at the conference will explore several themes including, among others, how to harness technology to expand access and improve the quality of learning, leveraging on data and evidence; strengthen education financing to ensure sustainable, equitable investments; promote curriculum reforms and innovation that connects education and skills development to the demands of modern economies, among others.

Ms. Nancy Chaola Mdooka, Deputy Minister of Education of Malawi and Chair of the Specialized Technical Committee, underscored the need for  a vision tohelp  address these gaps through innovative and inclusive education models, while reiterating the critical importance for strengthening skills development and enhancing partnerships across the continent.

Mr. Gilles Fagninou, Regional Director of UNICEF for West and Central Africa, emphased the urgent need for strategic investments in education to address Africa’s challenges. Through compelling examples and statistics, he presented the risks of underinvestment and the transformative potential of well-targeted educational reforms in alignment with Agenda 2063.

Activities at the Palais des Congrès in Nouakchott during the conference also features: high-level political dialogues, technical sessions, and ministerial panels. These discussions will culminate in the adoption of the Nouakchott Declaration, expected to chart a concrete path forward for transforming education systems across Africa over the next decade.

For further information, please contact:

1. Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou | Head, Media and Information Division | Information and Communications Directorate, AUC, Communication Adviser, Permanent Observer Mission to the UN | E-mail: yamboue@africa-uinon.org , Tel: +251911361185 / +1 3478127195 (WhatsApp)
2. Ms. Hiba Mohamed | Advocacy Officer | Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation| African Union Commission| E-mail: hibae@africa-union.org| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
3. Ms Claudette Chancelle BILAMPASSI MOUTSATSI | ESTI Department- Pan African University | African Union Commission | E-mail: BilampassiC@africa-union.org  | Tel: +251 11 518 2014/ +251 11 5182518 |
4. Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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