Swiss-funded Project on Youth Employment Launches the Second Phase

TIRANA, October 25

Over 900 jobs and some new 5,000 opportunities for youth was the balance of the first stage of RisiAlbania project from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The data about the project was unveiled on Wednesday on the occasion of the launch of the second stage of RisiAlbania that is estimated Euro 7 million.
An event was held at the premises of the youth center in Tirana where Swiss Ambassador Christoph Graf announced the launch of the second phase of the project.

“I feel privileged that our Swiss cooperation program with Albania has a large part dedicated to the area of vocational education, employment, and private sector development”, said Swiss Ambassador Christoph Graf in his opening speech. “This second phase will have even a stronger focus on cooperating with the private sector for job creation, mobilizing the Albanian diaspora, and including more vulnerable segments of the population among beneficiaries”, announced Ambassador Graf.

Deputy Minister of Finance, Economy and Labour Dajna Sorensen spoke about the need to focus on opening up new opportunities for youth employment. “What sets RisiAlbania apart as a project is that it does not only address social issues but it also does so by developing businesses”, the Deputy Minister said.

On his part, Matthias Herr from Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation that is the impelementator of the project highlighted the need for removing barriers for growth and investment for the private sector and remove barriers faced by young people in accessing job opportunities through education, services, and support”.
RisiAlbania managed to help young men and women to find jobs by working directly with private companies and also with government institutions. Moreover, the project introduced new ways of doing business, new services and products, and new information packages on the job market.

“In fact, it is crucial that we continue to address youth employment and scale up any successful way of how to create more jobs”, the Swiss Ambassador said.
RisiAlbania focuses on supporting three business sectors: Agroprocessing, Tourism, and ICT as these have more promising potential for youth employment.
The project is implemented by the Swiss consultancy Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and local NGO Partners Albania.

News Source/Photo Credit: Switzerland in Albania