COMMITTED to the ambitious Nelson Mandela Bay Target, the G20 First Employment Working Group (EWG) ended its first meeting on Friday in a key action to fight young unemployment.

Aiming for a 5% drop in the “not in employment, education, or training” (Neet) rate by 2030, this new endeavour is part of a whole plan meant to open doors for young people joining the workforce.

The G20, a conference of the biggest economies in the world, provides a setting that emphasises the need for group effort in tackling worldwide issues. Originally founded in 1999, the G20 brings central bank governors, finance ministers, and leaders of state together to promote world economic stability and growth.

The group’s emphasis has changed with time to include urgent societal concerns, including youth employment. This change was especially underlined during the G20 Summit in Antalya, Türkiye, in 2015, when members acknowledged the pressing need to solve the high young unemployment rates.

During the EWG meetings, Siyabonga Hadebe, the Employment and Labour Attaché from South Africa based in Geneva, discussed the relevance of the Nelson Mandela Bay Target.

“The Nelson Mandela Bay Target was matched with the end of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets in 2030,” he said.

This dedication emphasises how closely global development goals interact with the need to give young people meaningful employment opportunities.

According to the results of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), G20 countries are still struggling with how to properly lower young unemployment by 2022.

With an aim of lowering the share of at-risk young people by 15% by 2025 as part of the original Antalya agenda, the analysis revealed that young people are very likely to be “permanently left behind”.

“The rise of remote and hybrid work models, breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), and the fast expansion of the gig economy have fundamentally reshaped labour markets,” Hadebe said. “These changes have changed the experience of young workers, offering both fresh prospects and difficult challenges.”

He underlined even more that the Nelson Mandela Bay Target was a transforming stride forward rather than only a continuation of earlier efforts.

The new commitment calls on G20 members to:

Reduce the proportion of youth (ages 15–29) not in employment, education, or training by a further 5% by 2030.

Address gender disparities and expand access to quality jobs for young people, focusing on empowering young women.

Hadebe said the Nelson Mandela Bay Target on Youth Employment is a call to action to scale up investments in youth employment by operationalising comprehensive youth employment strategies. These strategies must prioritise:

The creation of more and better jobs for young people to ensure that they are not only employed but also engaged in work that offers dignity, security and opportunities for growth;

Education and skills systems that equip youth with future-ready, market-driven competencies , preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow in a rapidly changing world; and

An enabling environment that fosters young entrepreneurs and supports business growth, unlocking the potential of youth-led innovation and enterprise.

Aiming at introducing our shared and truly consulted Nelson Mandela Bay Target and its elements at the meeting of ministers in August and the leaders’ summit later in the year, Hadebe underlined: “Our Presidency is flexible and amenable to adjustments, counter-proposals, and enhancements.”

Using current G20 projects like the G20 Entrepreneurship Action Plan and the G20 Compact with Africa, he also underlined the need to actively support Africa’s youth employment efforts by means of engagement.

Most member states taking part in the EWG said they strongly supported the Nelson Mandela Bay Target. Viwe Mlenzana, the acting Director-General of the Department of Employment and Labour, praised the proactive participation displayed by G20 member states and invited nations throughout the session.

He said: “Youth unemployment in some G20 countries remains high at rates above 10%, and inputs provided by delegates equip G20 with vital tools for enhancing employment policies.”

“The Nelson Mandela Bay Target builds on the Antalya goals and sets a clear goal on reducing Neets, enhancing youth transitions through decent work, and ensuring no young person is left behind.

“The strong support expressed by member states and invited countries today reaffirms our shared reality to turn this vision into reality—focused on inclusive growth, targeted skills development, and robust social protection systems,” Mlenzana said.

Given that the second EWG conference is set for April 2025, the momentum created at this one is vital.

Ensuring that they are prepared with the tools and chances needed to flourish in an increasingly complicated global market, the G20 seems ready to make major changes in redefining the future of work for young people everywhere.

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