As the population of West Africa grows, particularly among young people, the region is facing the challenge of aligning the skills that young people acquire with the needs of employers and the availability of jobs. On Monday, September 28, in Abidjan, the High-Level Regional Week on Women, Youth, Peace, Security, and Economic Resilience was launched by the Regional Working Group on Women, Youth, Peace and Security in West Africa and the Sahel. This event focused on how economic empowerment can strengthen the region's ability to withstand various challenges. The employment of young people was acknowledged as a major economic and social issue in West Africa. However, the discussions at the event extended beyond just the number of jobs that need to be created. The Abidjan Appeal, adopted on September 29, called for improvements in education, vocational training, apprenticeships, and career guidance to better match the needs of the labor market. It also emphasized the need for increased investment in decent jobs for young people, while encouraging entrepreneurship and access to financial resources. A significant portion of young people in West Africa are already active in the labor market, though many do so informally. In 2022, 70.1% of those aged 15-29 in the eight countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) were self-employed, with the percentage ranging from 49.9% in Senegal to 82.1% in Niger. Agriculture was the main sector of activity for many of these young people. However, this presence in the labor market is accompanied by high levels of informality. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), nearly all young workers in the WAEMU are in informal employment, a situation that is more common among young women. The challenge, therefore, is not only about providing access to employment but also about ensuring that such employment allows for sustainable income generation and production. The importance of skills becomes evident when considering both young people who are already active and those seeking salaried employment. For those already in the workforce, skills can help improve existing activities, while for those looking for jobs, aligning with the needs of companies can facilitate their integration into the workforce. This gap often appears early, during the transition from education to professional life. In Ghana, for example, the participation rate of young people in the labor market dropped from 62% to 41% between 2012 and 2023, according to the World Bank. A significant portion of this decline is due to more young people staying in education longer, increasing the number of those who are in studies but not working. In Nigeria, the challenge is compounded by the increasing number of new entrants to the labor market, with around 3.5 million people joining the active population each year, according to the Bretton Woods institution. The commitments made by the WAEMU Commission and the ILO for the period 2026-2030 include improving the employability of young people, increasing company productivity, and enhancing job quality. In Abidjan, these priorities were expanded to include financing and bridging the gap between educational institutions and companies. The success of these initiatives will be measured by their impact on professional paths, including the quality of jobs obtained after training, the income generated, and the productivity of activities. For West African countries, the challenge is not just to get more young people into the workforce but to ensure that their activities are productive enough to improve their incomes in a sustainable manner.