KIPPRA held its 8th KIPPRA Annual Regional Conference on 21st to 23rd May 2025 at the Kenya School of Government, Nairobi. The theme of the conference was “Shaping pathways to future jobs: unlocking opportunities for the youth.”
The event was officially opened by Hon. Salim Mvurya, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports. Other key guests included Dr Bonface Makokha, Principal Secretary, State Department for Economic Planning and Mr Fikirini Jacobs Principal Secretary, State Department for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy. The guests were welcomed by the KIPPRA Board Chair Prof. Paul Wachana and Ag. Executive Director Dr Eldah Onsomu.
Other guests who participated were heads of institutions that supported the conference. These include Prof. Jane Mariara, Executive Director, Partnership for Economic Policy; Mr Caspar Pedo, Mastercard Foundation Country Programs Head for Kenya; Mr Adam Lane, Government Affairs Manager, Huawei; Ms Shirley Tarawali, Assistant Director General, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI); Ms Julia Mueller; Deputy Project Manager, GIZ Agri Jobs 4 Youth; Mr Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria, Director General, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA); and Prof. Nura Mohamed, Director General, Kenya School of Government.
The conference provided a platform to explore pathways and identify potential job creation opportunities for Kenya’s youth. It brought together youth from TVETs and universities; young innovators and entrepreneurs; officials from national and county governments; representatives from national authorities and agencies, local and regional think tanks, international and non-governmental organizations; development partners; civil society; persons with disabilities; the media and other special interest groups.
The three-day conference conference entailed panel discussions, common, parallel and plenary sessions where key themes in relation to the pathways to future jobs for the youth were discussed. These include human capital development for the future workforce; digital transformation and infrastructure for future jobs; creative economy, talent and innovation for job creation; gender parity and social inclusion in the future of work; industrialization, trade and financial access for MSMEs; emerging sectors and agribusiness; resilience and adaptability in future jobs; and data management for job creation.
The second day of the conference saw stakeholders in the job-creation space gather for the “Job creation changemakers’ dinner” themed “Igniting change, empowering youth, shaping tomorrow.” The aim of the dinner was to explore actionable and time-bound commitments from stakeholders to transform the employment landscape through inclusive practices and coordinated efforts.
The key outcome from the forum is the communique, which was read at the closing ceremony of the conference. The document highlights key actionable recommendations and relevant institutions targeted for implementation.
