In a major nod to its development leadership, Ethiopia has been hailed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for spearheading efforts to scale up employment-rich growth models across Africa.

Hosting the 20th ILO Regional Conference for Labour-Based Practitioners, Ethiopia brought together over 25 African ministers under the bold theme: “Resilient Communities and Healthy Environment: The Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) Approach.” The high-level gathering spotlighted community-driven job creation as a cornerstone for tackling poverty and boosting sustainable development across the continent.

Mito Tsukamoto, Chief of the Employment and Investments Branch at the ILO in Geneva, praised Ethiopia not only for its exceptional organization of the conference but also for setting a regional example in crafting employment strategies that leave no one behind.

“Africa faces issues like informality and a rapidly growing youth population. It’s essential to include vulnerable populations, youth, people with disabilities, and others by providing them with dignified jobs that generate income and build local economies,” Tsukamoto said in an interview with ENA. “This aligns perfectly with the goals of the 20th regional labor-based conference, as we explore ways to build resilient communities across Africa.”

She highlighted the EIIP as a proven, community-level strategy that merges infrastructure development with large-scale job creation. Unlike capital-intensive projects that often bypass local communities, the EIIP focuses on maximizing domestic resources and empowering vulnerable populations through labor-based public investments.

The attending ministers echoed this sentiment in a joint declaration, pledging to strengthen skills development, harness technology, and forge durable public-private partnerships to ensure the success of employment-intensive investments.

With the ILO’s over five decades of experience implementing EIIP models in more than 60 countries, Tsukamoto urged African governments to build on this legacy and replicate successful approaches through South-South collaboration.

“Many current investments in Africa tend to be capital-intensive, often involving foreign exchange challenges.” She said. “What we need is a shift toward resource-based, employment-intensive approaches that maximize local value.”

As the continent navigates complex development needs, Ethiopia’s role in elevating employment to the heart of the policy agenda is drawing attention and hope for a more equitable future.