Libya and Tunisia have agreed to develop bilateral cooperation in the field of training and vocational education, transferring Tunisian expertise to Libya in sectors that are crucial for the Libyan labour market.
The agreement was reached during a meeting of the Libyan-Tunisian Technical Committee held in Tripoli on Monday, chaired by Ali Al-Abed, Libya’s Minister of Labour and Rehabilitation, and Riadh Choud, Tunisia’s Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, along with delegations from both ministries.
The committee discussed the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries on training and vocational education, focusing on its development and the addition of annexes, particularly concerning electronic linking, trainer training, and the transfer of Tunisian expertise in vocational training to Libya.
Minister Al-Abed highlighted in a joint press conference with his Tunisian counterpart that Libya is experiencing a significant gap in its labour market, exacerbated by the notable reduction in training centres in recent years He announced the establishment of 13 specialized vocational training centers across Libya, including locations such as Kufra, Ghat, Ghadames, Sabha, Hun, Sirte, Taminhint, Tarhuna, Zuwara, and Zintan, to meet local Labour market needs.
He emphasized that most job seekers in Libya are university and higher institute graduates who require additional professional skills to effectively enter the Labour market. Al-Abed stressed the importance of collaboration with Tunisia to revamp vocational training in Libya, enabling graduates to acquire the necessary craft skills, particularly urging Libyan youth to engage in the rapidly growing private sector that is increasingly geared towards exports and requires new professional specializations.
The minister added that the private sector in Libya, which has localized many industries, needs skilled labour, especially in sectors like oil, electricity, and services, including tourism and food preservation.
Further, the committee discussed cooperation with Tunisia in bringing skilled Labour to Libya in various sectors, especially oil, electricity, and tourism, and agreed on regularizing the status of Tunisian workers in Libya through formal employment contracts that protect their financial and legal rights. They also talked about electronic linking between the Labour ministries of Libya and Tunisia to exchange labour data and identify the specialties needed in the Libyan market.
Regarding vocational training, the minister pointed to new specialties being introduced in fields like marine fishing, port operations, and aircraft maintenance, through training centers such as the Khoms Marine Fishing Center, the Taminhint Port Operations Training Center, and the Tarhuna Aircraft Maintenance Training Center. He confirmed that trainers from Tunisia would be sent to establish these centres and prepare Libyan youth to enter the labour market with high efficiency.
On his part, Tunisian Minister Riadh Choud highlighted that the goal of this cooperation is to transform previous agreements into tangible execution plans, asserting that Tunisia has significant expertise in vocational training fields. He mentioned that Tunisian centres would help meet the Libyan labour market’s needs by training and educating workers specialized in marine fishing, air transport, and providing technical support in aircraft equipment, transport, and logistics.
According to the Ministry of Labour, these steps are part of enhancing economic and social cooperation between Libya and Tunisia, contributing to improving employment indicators in both countries.
The Tunisian Employment Minister initiated his work visit to Libya on Sunday, which includes field activities and joint meetings aimed at activating these agreements and beginning the implementation of training programs to meet the needs of the Libyan Labour market.
