For over 15 years, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) have forged a robust partnership aimed at driving Africa’s economic development forward.
The collaboration between AECID and AUDA-NEPAD has been instrumental, with initiatives like the Spain-NEPAD Fund for the Empowerment of African Women and budgetary support to the African Union Commission (AUC). In February 2023, Spain reaffirmed its commitment by allocating 70 million euros to cooperation projects with the African Union, with 20 million euros allocated to AUDA-NEPAD.
Building upon their previous collaboration, AECID and AUDA-NEPAD in late 2022 after the successful closure of NEPAD-Spanish Fund, embarked on a reflection and analysis exercise on the potential of renewing the cooperation this time focussing on Youth and Women Empowerment. This led to the identification of priority areas, culminating to the establishment of the “Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa” (COYWA) programme, spanning the next five years.
Aligned with AU Agenda 2063 aspirations, COYWA aims to empower women and youth economically and socially. The programme’s cross-cutting themes include training, employment, inclusiveness, human rights, and gender equality.
The overarching objective of COYWAP is to enhance livelihoods, boost employment, and reinforce equality and human rights. The programme comprises three main components:
- Training/ Skills Development: Certified training programmes will cover diverse topics such as digital and financial literacy, e-commerce, soft skills, cross-border trade, and climate finance. These programmes will be delivered through various platforms, including e-learning and face-to-face training.
- Support for Socio-economic Inclusion: This component aims to support public institutions and civil society organisations promoting socio-economic inclusion, employment opportunities, leadership among youth and women, and the prevention of gender-based violence. Grants will be disbursed through Call for Proposals to benefit women and youth-led businesses, associations, cooperatives, and grassroots initiatives.
- Support to Business Incubators for African Youth and Women Entrepreneurs (BIAYWE) Programme: Building on previous initiatives, this component focuses on incubators for women and young entrepreneurs. It will provide business organisation, marketing services, and access to financial instruments to facilitate market access and sustainability.
The official Signing Ceremony of the twenty (20) million Euros COYWA Memorandum of Cooperation took place on March 19th, 2024, in Brussels, where CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, H.E. Ms. Bekele-Thomas expressed gratitud for Spain’s commitment, and emphasised the transformative potential of COYWA, underscoring its role in changing lives and livelihoods across Africa.
COYWA stands as a testament to the long and fruitful collaboration between AECID and AUDA-NEPAD, poised to drive inclusive growth and sustainable development in Africa.
For more information follow this link: Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa Programme (COYWA): A Path to Empowerment | AUDA-NEPADe