H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Namis AL-JUBOURI, Minister of Education of the Republic of Iraq, to explore avenues of cooperation in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

The discussions focused on advancing youth skills development, with particular attention to young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET). H.E. Dr. AL-JUBOURI underscored the importance of strengthening Iraq’s education and training systems to respond to the demands of a changing labour market. He emphasized that investing in the skills of young people is critical for ensuring social stability, economic growth, and national development. He also expressed Iraq’s strong interest in engaging with SESRIC to benefit from international expertise and best practices in the area of vocational training.

H.E. SELÇUK highlighted the objectives of SESRIC’s OIC-VET Programme as a key platform for promoting capacity-building, knowledge exchange, and policy dialogue among OIC countries. She underlined the program’s focus on emerging areas such as digital transformation in TVET, entrepreneurial skills, green skills, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. She emphasized that these skills are essential not only for improving employability but also for preparing young people to actively contribute to sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

Both sides agreed to explore concrete projects and training programs that would contribute to equipping Iraqi youth with the skills needed for the future world of work, while also fostering resilience and innovation across the education and training landscape.