Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer at the World Bank Group, has urged Ghana and other developing countries to urgently implement policies and programs that can absorb the growing number of young people entering the labor market each year.

He warned that countries across the developing world face a looming employment challenge, with millions of young people expected to join the workforce over the next decade. Without targeted investment in education, training, and skills development, many could struggle to secure meaningful employment.

Donohoe stressed that governments, policymakers, and educational institutions must prioritize equipping youth with practical and employable skills aligned with the demands of today’s labor market. Strengthening education systems and expanding opportunities for technical and vocational training will be critical in addressing youth unemployment.

“Let me begin with the global picture because what you are navigating here in Ghana is not a national or local challenge. It is global in scale. Across low- and middle-income countries today, seven in 10 10-year-olds cannot read a simple, age-appropriate text. More than three billion adults have less than a lower secondary education. In the next decade alone, 1.2 billion young people will enter labor markets in developing countries, most without the necessary skills. These are not just numbers—they are lives,” he said.

The World Bank official made these remarks while engaging students at the University of Ghana, discussing global economic trends, education, and the future of work. His visit highlighted the broader challenges and opportunities facing developing economies in an evolving global environment.

Donohoe emphasized that the youth employment challenges confronting Ghana are part of a wider global trend affecting many low- and middle-income nations, underscoring the urgency for proactive measures to equip young people with the skills needed for the workforce of tomorrow.