Addis ababa: Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has concluded her working visit to the Africa Skills Week which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Deputy Minister Gondwe led the Department of Higher Education and Training Department (DHET) during the week-long programme held from 13 to 17 October 2025.

According to South African Government News Agency, the event was hosted by the African Union (AU) and served as a continent-wide platform to promote Africa’s youth skills development. The five-day Africa Skills Week brought together over 850 participants from AU member states, regional economic organizations, TVET leaders, academics, youth, and other groups. It promoted learning, dialogue, and collaboration, and Deputy Minister Gondwe stated that South Africa remains committed to knowledge sharing, research, and implementation, ensuring that no African youth is excluded from the skills revolution.

Gondwe participated in a high-level ministerial panel on skills development as well
as various other sessions. She also held significant engagements and meetings on the sidelines of Africa Skills Week. Notably, the Deputy Minister met with Ethiopia’s Minister of Labour and Skills, Muferihat Kamil Ahmed, where they shared best practices on youth skills development. The meeting included discussions on using artificial intelligence to link unemployed youth with employment opportunities.

Another significant engagement was a meeting with the AU Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitization, Lerato Mataboge. During the meeting, the parties discussed potential collaboration opportunities between the DHET and the AU, especially in university research and the TVET sector. Deputy Minister Gondwe was accompanied by South Africa’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU, Nonceba Losi, during all sideline engagements.

A key highlight of Africa Skills Week is the launch of the Continental TVET Strategy 2025-2034, a vital framework from the African Union focused on promot
ing the skills revolution envisioned in Agenda 2063.