1. JOINT YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE VISIONING WORKSHOP - RECAP OF DAY 1 February 27 and 28, 2012, Addis Ababqa 1

2. Session 1: Purpose of the visioning workshop – Elevator pitch 2

3. The visioning workshop should enable us to develop a common view, understanding and consensus on.. 1. Objective and vision of the joint YE initiative 2. Scope 3. Level of engagement ( if in selected countries, criteria for selection) 4. Timeline Take into account continental and international events 5. Content – what the initiative entails 6. Areas/sectors/themes 7. What can be done jointly? Opportunities for synergy How the initiative connects to what individual organizations are doing? – how it builds on existing initiatives 8. Management structure/institutional framework 9. Financial and human resources contributions 10. Division of labour based on comparative advantages 11. Modalities for proper and timely sharing of information 12. How to ensure sustainability of the initiative and its interventions 13. How to ensure alignment of the initiative to political commitments 3

4. AU - Expertise and facilitation in connecting with member States - Documentation on YE efforts - Political leadership - Convening power to track progress - Ensuring multi level participation of beneficiaries, stakeholders, bearers - Financial resources AfDB - Wide presence in countries – operational orientation - Financial leverage - Experience on youth employment projects/programme - Research and data collection ECA - Knowledge products - Peer learning and e-discussion - Platform for dialogue - Technical assistance - Advocacy services - Programmatic support ILO - Network of offices with YE expertise – experience on what works and what does not work - Experience in partnership - Bring in social partners - tripartite organization - Platforms for sharing information and mobilizing support/ buy-in - Expertise on working at multiple levels – technical assistance, policy advice What do you think your organization can contribute? 4

5. Defining the comparative advantages Session 2: What can we contribute ? - 5

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7. What is currently missing in the wider environment beyond your institution that could contribute to the success of the joint initiative?  Underestimation of national capacities  Direct support of Member State for program implementation  Robust M and E  Evidence based programmes and lessons learnt  Analysis of implementation bottlenecks  Coordination, synergies between interventions  Financial resource especially to go beyond pilot phases  Genuine political will  Information on current YE efforts  Involvement of UNCTs, RECs and other important partners  Funding facility 7

8. Summary of discussion  To which extent and through which mechanism will it be possible to apply the identified comparative advantages for the joint initiative?  The comparative advantage exercise provides two insights – 1) study the strengths to identify opportunities for synergy ; 2) study the other three columns i.e opportunities, what is missing in the organization and what is missing in the external environment to identify gaps and possible areas of interventions where the initiative can add value to.  Harmonization and complementarity between the plethora of youth employment plans and strategies at various levels including the type of policy advice provided to governments.  Interventions with meaningful impact should incorporate building the capacity of member States and RECs.  Given limited resources, how should funds be pooled together to bring about significant impact?  Needs assessments before designing interventions are crucial.  Youth involvement in the planning and implementation of the initiative should be ensured. 8

9. Towards an ideal strategy Session 3: Envisioning exercise 9

10. Consensus (i)  All three proposals have important inputs for the initiative  Group 1: Long term vision, innovation, knowledge based economies  Group 2: Specific and comprehensive technical aspects highlighted  Group 3: Institutional set up, organizational structure  The proposal of group 3 can be used as a starting point for the elaboration of organizational/operational aspects of the initiative.  Time frame : a long term initiative ( vision 2050 sub divided into phases) with short term, medium term and long term interventions  Active engagement of the private sector throughout the initiative should be ensured.  Using existing frameworks instead of reinventing the wheel. For example using CAADP and similar continental frameworks in the tourism, green economy and other sectors. 10

11. Consensus (ii)  The partnership detail has to demonstrate what is being done differently. How will the joint initiative do more and better that what the individual organizations are doing on their own?  Consensus by the four organizations on the details/content/modalities of the initiative should be followed by formalization of the partnership - MoU followed by action plans  Six pillars 1. Knowledge production – LMI, data collection, analysis, lessons learnt 2. The growth agenda - Inclusive and job creating growth 3. Policy and budget - Advocate for the centrality of (youth) employment in different policies 4. Entrepreneurship and education revolution 5. Coordination, mainstreaming and strategic partnership 6. Up scaling of interventions to increase impact on job creation ( quantity and quality)  There should be a balance between policy, strategy, programme level interventions as well as between research and field level implementation within the six pillars. 11

12. Points raised – summary of discussion  Piloting in few countries during the early phase of the initiative is necessary to see what can be up scaled.  Eventhough selecting few countries will instigate questions on why some countries were chosen and some were not, working in all 54 countries at this level is very ambitious.  Result based planning should be used: Identify results which we want to work towards.  Baseline data is very important.  Understand the universe in which the joint YE operates in – what other stakeholders are doing.  Policy advice needs to be backed by resources.  Mainstreaming YE issues should given attention – by joining hands the four orgs we will be able to dialogue better with governments – centrality of YE in national policy domains and budgeting is a big achievement.  Stakeholders have been informed about the joint YE initiatives and expectations have been created, thus there is need to move to concrete actions.)  Domestic resource mobilization is important, especially if the initiative will be long term. 12

13. Objective of the joint YE initiative  Jobs created for youth  Quantity  Quality – work conditions, transition from informal economy, Decent Work  Sustainability  Within the overall framework of youth empowerment? 13

14. Events/Meetings  Conference of African Ministers of Economy and Finance, 22- 27 March 2012  Inputs in the working paper  101th session of International Labour Conference, 30 th May to 15 June 2012, Geneva  AU Summit Malawi – June 23-30, 2012, Lilongwe  Labour and Social Affairs Commission  Meeting of Bureau of Ministers of Youth 14