Economy Middle East speaks to Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali, GCC country director at The World Bank on the significance of green skills in today’s world. El-Kogali reiterates the institution’s unwavering commitment to the climate agenda at COP28.
The World Bank is committed to equipping young people with the skills needed to thrive in the evolving green economy. Ensuring equal access to these vital skills and education opportunities, regardless of location, is crucial for a successful green transition.
Economy Middle East: What is the significance of green skills in today’s world for young people?
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali: We, at The World Bank, take the climate agenda seriously. As part of that, skills and green skills become important. At COP28, our president, Ajay Banga, announced that 45 percent of our financing for projects at the World Bank will focus on climate. Some of that will require a focus on skills and green skills. At the same time, being the largest financier of education in the world, we focus on ensuring that young people, from pre-K up until post-university and after that, have the relevant skills to succeed in the labor market.
As we transition to a green economy, I think it’s very important for young people to have those skills. At the same time, I think green skills become important, both for mitigation and for adaptation. These are both areas that we at the World Bank focus on. As you know, a key aspect of our vision and mission is to be on a livable planet.
Therefore, to have a livable planet, we need to ensure that young people have those green skills to take us there.
Economy Middle East: What has The World Bank been doing to improve youth skills, particularly on social sustainability and inclusion issues that are critical for green transition?
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali: We work with universities and different institutions to ensure that countries and young people have the skills that allow them to succeed in the green economy and in moving forward.
Moreover, what we do is support governments in having environmental and social governance frameworks. The idea is to ensure that there are standards for governments and communities in addressing environmental and social sustainable practices.
Economy Middle East: What are some of the challenges and opportunities for inclusion in green skills development?
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali: Some of the challenges are general challenges with skills especially if we look here at the labor market. There isn’t sufficient job growth to absorb the supply of new entrants into the labor market. However, if the GCC countries move forward towards their climate goals, there’s potential for 135,000 new jobs annually.
It’s important to ensure that there is sufficient supply in terms of skills set to also meet the demand for the skills that will come with the new jobs. So, the challenge is to ensure young people have the relevant skills. Another important challenge is inclusion. I think it’s critical to ensure both young men and women have equal access to these jobs, skills, and education opportunities. It is also important to ensure geographical access for people who may be in remote areas. However, they should also have equal access to skills that would help them succeed in the labor market.
About Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali
Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali is The World Bank’s country director for the (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) since July 1st, 2023.
El-Kogali, a Sudanese national, is a leading international development expert with more than 27 years of development experience in strategic leadership, government policy, program management, and research. She joined The World Bank in March 2000 as a young professional in the East Asia & Pacific Region. She has since held various positions across regions in the Bank, including senior economist in the Middle East and North Africa, Human development sector leader in Latin America and the Caribbean, and practice manager for Education in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern and Southern Africa. El-Kogali led policy dialogue and programs with governments in over 30 countries and published numerous studies and reports spanning a range of development topics.
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