East African summit to tackle youth unemployment and skills gaps

The efforts will be a key focus of the 3rd East African Employability Summit and Uongozi Career Awards 2026, scheduled for November 11–12 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

The summit will be held under the theme, “Skills without Borders: Accelerating Integration through Skills and Labour Mobility in East Africa,” with discussions expected to focus on aligning education and training with labour-market demands and facilitating the recognition of professional qualifications across borders.

The announcement follows a stakeholders’ engagement workshop held on October 21 at Daystar University’s Valley Road Campus, where representatives from government, the private sector, universities, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, youth organisations and development partners reaffirmed their commitment to the initiative.

In a statement, the summit’s Convening Committee said the future of East Africa’s workforce would increasingly depend on the ability of countries and institutions to develop relevant skills, connect talent to employment opportunities and facilitate the movement of skilled workers across the region.

The summit is expected to provide a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and partnerships aimed at addressing the changing demands of the labour market.

Key areas of discussion will include youth employability and career readiness, industry-education partnerships, workforce development, entrepreneurship, skills recognition, labour-market alignment and policy coordination.

The organisers said the stakeholder consultations would inform the summit’s programme to ensure it reflects the priorities of employers, policymakers, education and training institutions and young people.

The event will also provide opportunities for organisations to showcase research, innovations and programmes through exhibitions, strategic partnerships, knowledge-sharing sessions and youth and talent engagement initiatives.

Philip Pande, chairperson of the EAES26 Convening Committee and executive director of Corporate Career Academy, said the engagement process would help strengthen cooperation among stakeholders working to advance East Africa’s skills and employment agenda.

The summit and Uongozi Career Awards are expected to bring together institutions and organisations working to promote employability, skills development and inclusive economic growth across the region.