Canada to Allocate $11.5Mln for Expansion of African Youth Employment

The Canadian government pledged to provide 15.3 million Canadian dollars ($11.5 million) to help youth in African countries open up new opportunities, a statement on the prime minister’s website said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The respective announcement was made in Valletta, Malta, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

"The Government of Canada is committed to helping young people across the country and around the world reach their full potential. We will invest to create more jobs and better opportunities for young people. Today’s initiative with the Digital Opportunity Trust will help young women and men in eight African countries develop the skills and technological know-how they need to get jobs and start businesses," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was quoted as saying in the statement issued Saturday.

The ambitious project carried out in partnership with an Ottawa-based charitable organization is expected to provide support and training to about 200,000 young people in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia.

The program is due to be implemented in four years, beginning with 2015 and lasting up to 2019.