UNHCR and ASKY Join Forces to Aid Refugees' Employment

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and ASKY airline, a Pan-African airline based in Lomé, have entered a three-year partnership aimed at expanding refugees' access to skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities in West and Central Africa. This initiative will initially target Senegal, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Abdouraouf Gnon Konde, UNHCR Regional Director for West and Central Africa, stated that when displacement is prolonged, access to skills and decent work is crucial for restoring dignity and choice. The goal is to assist half of the refugees in protracted situations in the region to transition from aid dependency to self-reliance by 2035.

Esayas Hailu, Chief Executive Officer of Compagnie Aérienne ASKY, emphasized the connection between their business and Africa’s development, highlighting the importance of integrating refugee inclusion into business practices. Following the agreement, UNHCR and ASKY will establish arrangements for training, scholarships, internships, employment, and humanitarian transport as needed.