In Côte d’Ivoire, the government is strengthening its support for young people. A Youth Organizations Support Fund worth 4.3 billion CFA francs was launched on October 6, 2026. Its goal is to support youth initiatives, strengthen youth organizations, and promote youth empowerment under the Government Youth Programme 2026–2030.
In Côte d’Ivoire, youth employment and empowerment remain key priorities. Despite an overall unemployment rate estimated at 2.3% in 2025, according to official data, integrating young people into the workforce remains a major challenge. To address this, the authorities are stepping up initiatives to promote youth employment and empowerment. As part of these efforts, the government launched the Youth Organizations Support Fund on October 6, 2026, with funding of 4.3 billion CFA francs.
“I believe today is a historic day for youth associations in our country. In the 60 years of our existence, nothing like this has ever happened. Unfortunately, some associations, particularly those that are not well structured and have been unable to secure funding or partners, have had to depend on certain political or non-political actors. Today, you have a neutral fund of your own, one that gives you complete autonomy.”
Mamadou Touré, Minister of Youth Promotion, Vocational Integration and Civic Service – Côte-d’ivoire
The creation of this Fund is part of the Government Youth Programme (PJ-Gouv) 2026–2030, adopted on August 5, 2026. With a total budget of 2,869.4 billion CFA francs, the programme aims to strengthen youth employment, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and well-being. Its stated objective is to support more than 5.2 million young people and facilitate their access to employment and integration programmes, notably through the development of 644 new facilities across the country.
“Through this fund, the State is establishing a dedicated mechanism to support youth organizations and help them become better structured and more effective. It will finance grassroots initiatives, training programmes, community mobilization campaigns, conferences and forums, as well as the participation of young Ivorians in international events. The selected areas are those in which youth engagement matters most to the nation.”
Anne Ouloto, Minister of Public Service and Administrative Modernization – Côte-d’ivoire
Through this initiative, the authorities aim to make young people full-fledged participants in national development. This is particularly strategic given that the African Development Bank projects Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP growth at 6.4%. With more than 75% of the population under the age of 35, the Ivorian government aims to turn this demographic strength into a powerful driver of employment, innovation, and economic growth, reinforcing Côte d’Ivoire’s position as one of the leading economies in the subregion.
