Updates on the Global Gateway campaign!

Global Gateway is the EU’s new geopolitical strategy to guide investment in emerging markets. Through a joint effort, EU institutions, member states, development finance institutions, the European Investment Bank and other actors aim to mobilise up to €300 billion for investment projects between 2021 and 2027. The private sector has also a central role in driving the projects. The focus sectors of the strategy are climate and energy, transport, digital, health, and education and research.

Finland is involved in the Global Gateway strategy with whole Team Finland. Finnpartnership has launched a Global Gateway financing round and advisory service in early 2023. The aim is to support 15 Finnish companies to establish projects in specific target markets, linking to Global Gateway ecosystems, over the next two years. The project could include company’s own pilot or reference project, funded by Finnpartnership’s Business Partnership Support.

Finnpartnership and its partners are currently identifying concrete opportunities for Finnish companies. Discussions have taken place both in Brussels and with various embassies and other actors in Africa and Asia. There are versatile opportunities for Finnish companies particularly in the fields of digitalisation, education and energy. Finnpartnership will soon publish more information about projects related to the Global Gateway strategy. We will also present the opportunities at our monthly application workshops.

Finnish vocational schools and training consultants needed in Kenya

• Project: Youth Employment and Vocational Training Project (TVET)
• Target country: Kenya
• Sponsors: Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and German Ministry for Development and Cooperation
• Partners: Ministry of Education of Kenya, Finnish National Agency for Education (FinCEED)
• Implementer: German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Every year about 800,000 young people enter the Kenyan labour market. Youth unemployment is an acute challenge as about 80% of the unemployed in Kenya are between 15-34 years old. Although large numbers of young people complete training programmes at public vocational education and training schools (TVET), they often cannot find adequate jobs after the training. At the same time, companies suffer from the high costs from training graduates until they can work productively. In conclusion, the TVET system does not adequately meet labour market requirements.

In response to the growing challenge, Finland and Germany are working together with Kenya on “Youth Employment and Vocational Training” project. The project aims to increase youth employment by supporting Kenyan actors to provide industry-oriented vocational training in close cooperation with the private sector. By strengthening the capacity of Kenyan vocational agencies and vocational schools regarding industry needs, the GIZ project will directly strengthen the relevance and quality of vocational schools in the labour market. Additionally, the project will promote gender equality and social inclusion. Finland and Germany are co-financing the project with around €15 million and Kenya with around €2.5 million.

The project is now looking for Finnish vocational schools and education consultants to support the work of GIZ. Planned outsourcing opportunities include:

• Closing the skills gap in green value chains and professions
• Coaching vocational schools to implement national gender policies
• Coaching vocational schools in modern teaching methods
• Coaching for the implementation of vocational education and training 
• Development and implementation of TVET catalogue
• Digital teaching/learning on the national Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) platform
• Development of training courses and training for teachers 

For current and future calls for tenders, see more: Vergabemarktplatz GIZ | Projekte

In the context of tenders and in order to support your company’s entry in the market, you can apply for Finnpartnerhship’s Business Partnership Support. Follow our website for project updates.

For more information, please contact Julian Blom, Global Gateway Project Lead, julian.blom@finnpartnership.fi