Beschreibung der Beschaffung
According to the UN Human Development Index, the Republic of Niger ranks 188th out of 188 countries (2015) and is one of the least developed countries in the world. In recent years, Niger has become one of the main transit countries for West African migrants and migrants to North Africa and Europe. The regions of Agadez and Zinder are on the main migratory routes. This new migration economy has created direct or downstream jobs for people in these regions, but these jobs are also, in part, illegal. The effects on employment and economic development in the region are very fragile and do not rely on sustainable approaches. The promulgation of a new law on migration in 2016 and the criminalization of the economy of migration are causing considerable income losses.
The project aims at improving the employment and income situation of the local population in the regions of Agadez and Zinder. The project pursues an integrated approach to employment promotion and focuses on the 3 pillars of the labor market: demand, supply and placement, and aims to improve the overall conditions at regional level. The implementation of the project is carried out in the following four fields of action:
(1) strengthening of regional structures and capacities in the field of employment policy;
(2) implementation of labor-intensive activities ("cash-for-work") that promote employment;
(3) improving the supply of business start-up support measures in sectors with high potential; and
(4) improving the access of very small and small businesses to business services.
The tender concerns the implementation of the entire component (3) and one activity of component (4), i.e. the development of an information campaign for micro and small enterprises to increase their access to business support services.
By improving the supply of business support measures young people will be made aware of entrepreneurship and support networks. New services will be created and market-oriented business models will be successfully applied. In general, Niger's economy is weakly diversified, but each region offers promising and job-generating sectors in its development plans. The project supports the identification of feasible business models for the creation of micro-enterprises and the establishment of local skills networks with the involvement of representatives of the private sector and possibly representatives of sectoral ministries. These skills networks identify local market potentials, technical and entrepreneurial requirements, and the necessary support. Examples include the installation and maintenance of solar systems or the provision of services for an efficient agricultural economy. The project will also provide advisory support for the analysis of potential sectors and the creation of skills networks.
Based on local business models in sectors with high potential, short-term qualifying training will be planned and delivered, in collaboration with, among others, the “Centres de Formations aux Métiers”. This requires the establishment of a pool of qualified trainers and the provision of equipment for training providers.
A regional information and service structure is needed for effective support in starting self-employment or starting businesses. To this end, the capacities of existing providers will be strengthened (i.e. Chambers of Commerce, National Employment Promotion Agency) and new regional service offers will be developed jointly. In collaboration with the municipalities of Agadez and Zinder, the possibility of supporting or building craft centers and incubators will be examined. The creation of new service offerings will be accompanied by awareness raising measures for entrepreneurship. For this purpose information sessions, short seminars during the last year of study or studies as well as information services through radios, SMS services or social media campaigns (e.g. Facebook) are planned.