Mozambique and Italy sign €30 million agreement to promote youth employment

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Mozambique and Italy sign €30 million agreement to promote youth employment

8:23 CAT | 28 Jul 2025

Photo: Agenzia Nova

The initiative is part of the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and the shared commitment to promote the human and economic development of Maputo.

The governments of Italy and Mozambique signed a €30 million financing agreement in Maputo to promote entrepreneurship and increase the employment of young Mozambican graduates and recent graduates. The memorandum aims to provide beneficiaries with practical skills suited to the needs of the modern labor market, promoting the socioeconomic inclusion of young people. The agreement was signed by the Undersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Giorgio Silli, on a visit to the country, and by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique, Maria de Fátima Simão Manso. The initiative is part of the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and the shared commitment to promoting human and economic development in Mozambique, with particular attention to young people.

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In an interview with “Agenzia Nova,” Silli emphasized the impact the agreement could have on addressing a series of challenges in higher education and youth employment in Mozambique. “We signed an agreement worth approximately €30 million for young entrepreneurs, because I believe wealth can only be created through entrepreneurs and businesses. And we hope that in the future, a company and a joint venture between young Italians and young Mozambicans can also be created,” the undersecretary stated. Silli, who has made several visits and met with government institutions, assured that the mission to Mozambique is part of the Mattei Plan, noting that the Italian government’s initiative for Africa plans to allocate €300 million of the €5,5 billion allocated to Mozambique. “This is an initiative by our Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. We firmly believe that Africa can develop on its own. And we are trying to help it in this way, putting significant resources on the table. Italy has decided to invest €5,5 billion in resources for this important cooperation plan,” said the Undersecretary.

The initiative, called “Innovation for Development IN4JOB,” aims to promote innovation applied to the creation, incubation, and acceleration of startups and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with a strong technological focus. The IN4JOB initiative consists of two components: the first is a €20 million concessional loan, which aims to secure the creation of technological assets with a high socioeconomic impact, and the second is a €6,4 million non-repayable grant component, to be developed through the implementation of activities (Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills) aimed at target groups. This component aims to ensure the initiative’s effectiveness and the sustainability of the use of the products/services created or provided by the loan component, as well as the program’s impact on local development. To ensure better alignment with the needs of the Government of Mozambique, the management of the Program’s funds and procurement will be centralized at the Ministry of Planning and Development, through the new Local Economic Development Fund.

Source: Agenzia Nova