The Italian Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and the Ethiopian Ministry of Labor and Skill announced today the launch of a Global Skill Partnership (GSP), marking a major step toward structured, mutually beneficial labor mobility between the two countries. The GSP will aim to strengthen the skill of Ethiopian workers and improve their employability in both in Ethiopia and in Italy, by aligning skill development in sectors facing labor shortages, both domestically and internationally, while also expanding safe and legal migration pathways.
This new partnership builds on the Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Mobility signed by the Ethiopian and Italian governments on October 27, 2025. That cooperation agreement aims to expand safe and legal migration pathways for Ethiopian workers, including through strengthening skill training that meets the needs of Italian and Ethiopian businesses. The GSP provides an operational framework to deepen the mutual benefits of coordinated skill investment and labor mobility.
Under the Global Skill Partnership, Ethiopia and Italy will jointly coordinate relevant skill training in Ethiopia, preparing candidates for employment in both countries. Workers on the domestic track will gain qualifications that strengthen Ethiopia's labor market, and in the context of existing bilateral cooperation, workers on the international mobility track will receive pre-departure language, civic, and vocational training, enabling them to enter Italy for non-seasonal employment, under Article 23 of Italy's Migration Consolidated Act.
The GSP focuses on sectors experiencing labor demand in both countries and includes dedicated support for labor market intermediation and integration upon arrival.
As the Italian Minister of Labour and Social Policies, Marina Calderone, highlighted that “This partnership is grounded in the belief that growth is achieved by placing people and their skill at the center. Through the Global Skill Alliance, we have chosen to further strenghten our co-operation to create concrete opportunities, to value the talents of workers, and to support our respective labour markets.
We are guided by mutual respect and a shared commitment to generating tangible benefits for communities and businesses. It is a replicable model, built on shared responsibilities and measurable results, in line with the vision of the Mattei Plan promoted by Italy”.
The Ethiopian Minister of Labor and Skill, Muferihat Kamil Ahmed, underlined that “This partnership with Italy places Ethiopian youth at the center of our development cooperation. By linking skill training with real employment opportunities, both at home and through regular migration pathways, we aim to transform mobility into a driver of shared prosperity and dignity of work. This partnership further strengthens our bilateral cooperation. Together, we are investing in quality training, decent work, and orderly labor mobility that benefits individuals, communities, and both nations’’.
The partnership is the result of broad collaboration among actors united by a common conviction: that well-managed labor mobility can act as a lever for economic development and growth for both countries of origin and countries of destination. The World Bank Group will provide technical assistance to the Ethiopia-Italy GSP, an initiative funded by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. This goes in parallel with efforts deployed, on the Italian side, by Sviluppo Lavoro Italia - the in-house agency of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies - to implement the pre-departure training financed also through the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
On the Ethiopian side, the partnership leverages existing efforts led by the Ministry of Labor and Skill to strengthen the Technical and Vocational Education and Training system and improving labor intermediation services to support youth employability. The World Bank Group support will focus on technical assistance and targeted engagement through existing operations in Ethiopia to strengthen local labor market systems, identify strategic and in- demand occupations and sectors, bridge knowledge and skill gaps, and promote private sector participation.
This Global Skill Partnership reflects the shared vision of Italy and Ethiopia for a new model of international cooperation - one grounded in mutual respect, shared prosperity, and human development. For Italy, the GSP is a tangible expression of the Piano Mattei per l'Africa, the government's flagship initiative to build a partnership of equals with African nations, centered on sustainable development, investment in people, and the governance of migration through legal and structured channels. For Ethiopia, it is an opportunity to position its workforce for global opportunities while retaining skilled talent for national growth. Together, the two countries are demonstrating that migration and development can be powerful drivers of shared progress.