YAOUNDE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian President Paul Biya has pledged more efforts to support self-employed youths amid a difficult global economic context.
"In a bid to foster your integration into the job market, the state is taking action to promote the requisite entrepreneurial culture for youth empowerment," Biya said in a televised message geared toward the younger generation on Friday evening.
He said a Special Three-Year Youth Plan that began in 2016 has enabled the financing of over 11,000 youth projects and generated close to 35,000 direct jobs; the government will boost the plan by fast-tracking the creation of a Guarantee Fund for young entrepreneurs "with a special window for financing projects promoted by the youth of the Cameroonian diaspora."
Cameroon will start or continue numerous projects in various sectors, notably infrastructure, energy, and mining which will be "employment niches" for young people, the president of the central African nation added.
Efforts will be made to revitalize and diversify the economy, said he, warning that neither the state nor existing private sector enterprises can employ all the young people graduating from the traditional educational system each year.
"That is why, once again, I am urging you to embrace self-employment by taking advantage of the opportunities available in areas such as agriculture, handicrafts, and the digital economy. This is definitely one of the most effective ways of reducing youth unemployment," Biya said.
Biya's speech came on the occasion of National Youth Day, celebrated annually on Feb. 11.
