Scaling up Tunisian-Omani cultural cooperation relations notably in the heritage field took centre stage on Wednesday at a meeting between the Minister of Cultural Affairs Hayet Guettat Guermazi and Omani Ambassador to Tunisia Hilal Abdullah Al Sinani, according to a ministry press release. The two sides examined ways of establishing lasting cooperation in the various sectors of shared interest under the memorandum of understanding signed on May 3, 2023 between the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Omani Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. Emphasis was laid on a range of project proposals, including the organisation of live workshops on restoration and maintenance techniques for historic monuments, targeting experts from both countries, as well as field workshops for sharing expertise, notably in the field of heritage conservation and artistic lighting. Among the proposals put forward is the consolidation of the artistic, cultural and literary presence of the Sultanate of Oman at major events organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, such as the Tunis International Book Fair and summer festivals, as well as the possibility of twinning the Muscat Opera Theatre with that of Tunis and the medina of Tunis with the medina of Oman, both of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this regard, the minister ordered the creation of a small working group tasked with drawing up a clear programme defining the next projects and proposals with a view to submitting it to the Omani side, in collaboration with the Omani embassy to Tunisia. Underlining the importance of the Omani collaboration in the effort to restore Tunisia's historic monuments, she called to further broaden this cooperation to include other artistic, literary and cultural disciplines. The ambassador, for his part, expressed his country's willingness to step up bilateral cooperation in the various sectors of culture, art and creativity. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse The 5th Ministerial Forum on Migration stressed the need for policy prioritization on skills, youth employment, and job creation as well as harmonization of a regular migration regulatory framework. The Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) on harmonizing labor migration policies under the theme: 'Harnessing the power of regular migration pathways for youth employment, skills development, and green economy' concluded today. On the occasion, Labor and Skills State Minister Teshale Berecha said that we the RMFM has blossomed into a vital space for consultation and collaboration in the realm of labor migration. Education is at the heart of addressing the root causes of irregular migration and is a catalytic force to accelerate skill-based, dignified and regular mobility of labor in our region, across the continent and beyond, he added. According to him, the theme not only aligns with the well-known issue of Africa's booming youth population but also echoes policymakers' concerns about harnessing Afr ica's demographic dividend for a sustainable future. One-fifth of the world's youth resides in our continent, and by 2030, its working-age population will balloon to 600 million, with nearly 40 percent being young people, Teshale said, and added that this presents a golden opportunity, for it would mean over half a billion trained, and empowered individuals can potentially drive development in our continent. Meanwhile, the State Minister underscored 'the harsh reality, however, is the alarming unemployment, especially among youth (11.2%) compared to adults (6.7%). 'Such a challenge can partly be addressed if we focus, for example, on transforming our Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems to boost our capacities in implementing various capacity building programs toward promoting skill-based mobility,' he elaborated. IOM Ethiopia Chief of Mission, Abibatou Wane Fall said on her part that the breadth and scope of the reforms undertaken, and progress made individually as well as colle ctively demonstrate the importance of labor migration and its corollary for all the Member States. Skills, youth employment and jobs creation are at the center of the policy priorities of the East and Horn of Africa countries, she pointed out, and added 'For instance, in Ethiopia the labor market must absorb approximately 2 million new entrants each year.' 'Sustainable job creation and youth employment is a priority, and the Government of Ethiopia has embarked in ambitious reforms promoting skills development, improving job creation, promoting the business environment, expanding labor migration and none the least engaging diaspora for knowledge, skills and technology transfer,' the Chief of Mission lauded. According to her, the RMFM provides an effective platform for interstate cooperation, a model for African multilateral cooperation on migration, and a vehicle for advancing innovative solutions based on shared experience and priorities as well as agreed upon goals. Source: Ethiopian News Agency