Unlocking Partnerships for Sustainable and Transformative Youth Programmes in Botswana
Botswana is strengthening partnerships to create more sustainable, inclusive and transformative opportunities for young people, as the country advances its youth development agenda.
Ms. Nadi Albino, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Generation Unlimited (GenU), was warmly welcomed into Botswana by Dr. Kimanzi Muthengi, UNICEF Botswana Acting Representative, at the start of her week-long country visit. Throughout her visit, Ms. Albino engaged with key government, United Nations, private sector and youth partners to explore opportunities to accelerate action for young people.
She met with Ms. Natasha Rampa, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs, and paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Honourable Lesego Chombo. Ms. Albino also met with Ms. Wenyan Yang, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UN Secretary-General’s Representative in Botswana, to discuss opportunities to strengthen collaboration and accelerate progress for young people.
The engagements reaffirmed the strong and growing partnership between the Government of Botswana, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF Botswana, the United Nations, private sector partners and young people in advancing an ambitious, inclusive and future-focused youth development agenda. Generation Unlimited is a global public-private-youth partnership focused on connecting young people to opportunities for skills development, employment, entrepreneurship and meaningful participation.
Its support goes beyond individual programme delivery. GenU helps bring together partnerships, technical expertise, innovation and investment to create pathways that connect young people from learning to earning. For Botswana, this presents an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across government, the private sector, development partners and young people themselves, while identifying approaches that can be sustained and scaled.
The engagements come at an important time as Botswana strengthens coordination within the youth sector and works to ensure that flagship initiatives respond more effectively to the needs, aspirations and potential of young people. Strong partnerships can help expand access to skills, livelihoods, entrepreneurship and apprenticeships, while creating stronger links between education, training and the world of work.
At the heart of this approach is a recognition that young people should not be viewed only as beneficiaries of development. Young people are partners and drivers of inclusive growth, productivity, innovation and national transformation. By deepening collaboration and mobilising strategic partnerships, expertise and investment, Botswana can help create sustainable pathways that enable young people to participate meaningfully in the economy and society and reach their full potential.
The continued partnership between the Government of Botswana, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF Botswana, the United Nations, private sector partners and young people provides an important foundation for advancing this shared ambition.
Together, we can unlock opportunities for every young person to learn, earn, participate and thrive.
