TAG-Knowledge and UNDP Sign MoU to Support Youth in Governorates

AMMAN – April 5, 2016 - Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org)/ Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jordan, which aims at supporting youth empowerment through knowledge and training in Irbid and Mafraq.

The MoU was signed by HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman of TAG-Org and Mr. Edward Kallon, UN Resident Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative, UNDP Jordan at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum.

This MOU commits to jointly support youth in remote areas to be more competitive and acquire technical skills to increase their employability, and to assist them in learning how to create small and medium enterprises (SMEs). 

This acquires a rehabilitation and revamp of 10 Youth Development Centers and train their staff. It will also put in place high-level courses in order to help youth to gain skills and capacities that will make them more competitive in the job market.

This partnership is designed in order to complement UNDP’s overall youth empowerment strategy and programs, and to benefit from UNDP’s expertise in this field. The activities and outputs under the project are also devised to enhance youth confidence and to ensure that young women are better integrated into the labor sector. 

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh highly praised the role exerted by UNDP in supporting sustainable development in Jordan, especially capacity development for youth, pointing out that the agreement signed is one of many projects supported by UNDP under the management of both the Resident Representative Mr. Kallon & the Country Director Dr. Zena Ali Ahmad.

Mr. Kallon, UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator /UNDP Resident Representative stressed on the importance of such an agreement which is a real translation of UNDP and the Private Sector joint commitment for furthering development in a country like Jordan; especially that the agreement targets the issue of youth mobilization and empowerment.

 In addition; Mr. Kallon said that this agreement will encourage other private sector organizations to partner with UN agencies, and UNDP, to work toward the vision of a sustainable and inclusive economy which delivers lasting benefits to people, communities, and markets. This joint initiative seeks to combine the best properties of UNDP, such as a moral authority and convening power, with the private sector’s solution-finding strengths, and it expertise and capacities.

On her part; Dr. Ali Ahmad, UNDP Country Director, said that this is only the first step in a long term future cooperation in supporting youth sector in Jordan. She emphasized on the importance of sustainability for such programs. Dr. Ahmad also stressed on the vital role the International community plays in supporting youth empowerment. 

It’s worth mentioning that the ceremony was attended by a host of ambassadors & representatives of the international community, including Ambassadors of Canada, Iran and  Venezuela in addition to the  Indonesian Consul.