Senegal and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a new headquarters for the Senegal-Japan Vocational and Technical Training Centre in Diamniadio. The signing took place in the framework of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama and is a decisive step towards strengthening the skills of Senegalese youth.
The project will involve five leading Japanese companies - Toyota Tsusho, Daikin, Toda Construction, Yamaha and NEC - which will provide expertise, technology and training programmes. Their participation will enable an unprecedented transfer of skills in key sectors such as automotive, HVAC, construction, electronics and the music industry.
Since its inauguration in 1984, the CFPT-SJ has established itself as a benchmark in West Africa, with more than 7,000 professionals trained in four decades. With the new extension in Diamniadio, the authorities hope to expand the teaching capacity and diversify the academic offer, orienting it towards the current demands of the labour market.
The choice of Diamniadio is not accidental. The city, located 30 kilometres from Dakar, has become a strategic pole of urban and industrial development. New infrastructures, universities and international organisations are concentrated there, making it an ideal place to promote the technical training of future generations.
The Senegalese government hopes that this cooperation will lead to greater employment opportunities and a strengthening of national industry. Japan, for its part, reinforces its role as a privileged partner in the modernisation of the African country. The agreement opens a stage in which education, innovation and development go hand in hand to project a Senegal that is more competitive and connected to the world.
Source: lanouvelletribune.info; aps.sn; seneinfo.net