South Africa pushes UAE for expanded youth development partnership framework

South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, used a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting in Visakhapatnam, India, to press for expanded institutional cooperation with the United Arab Emirates on youth empowerment, skills development, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The meeting, held on Saturday, brought Chikunga together with UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs Dr Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi. Both office-holders focused on deepening collaboration in youth empowerment, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful youth participation in development.

Chikunga grounded South Africa’s position in its existing policy architecture. She outlined the National Development Plan 2030, which mandates economic growth, job creation and the reduction of poverty and inequality, alongside the National Youth Policy, which prioritises enhancing the capabilities of young people so they can become responsible and contributing members of their communities. The policy framework explicitly covers education and skills development, economic participation, job creation, entrepreneurship, social cohesion, nation-building and the strengthening of national youth development institutions.

“We are hoping that we can have more collaboration in the areas of exchange programmes, skills development and transfers, including entrepreneurship and innovation between the youth from both our countries,” Chikunga said. She added that South Africa is looking to extend bilateral cooperation to young persons with disabilities.

To demonstrate South Africa’s implementation record, Chikunga pointed to the Solar Technology Training Programme, known as the Solar Mamas programme. The initiative, delivered in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ladies Organisation (FICCI FLO) and Barefoot College, trains women in solar technology to promote self-reliance and socio-economic development. Several South African institutions supported the programme: the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the National Youth Development Agency.

The Solar Mamas programme itself traces back to policy discussions during South Africa’s BRICS Chairship in 2023, when women’s empowerment was a stated priority. That institutional origin matters here, because it positions the programme not as a standalone initiative but as a product of deliberate multilateral commitments.

Meanwhile, the broader BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting concluded with the adoption of a joint statement outlining areas for greater cooperation in youth development, education, skills, entrepreneurship, innovation, sports and social participation among member countries. The statement represents a formal multilateral commitment, binding participating governments to a shared agenda.

On the margins of the ministerial programme, Chikunga joined delegates in an ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation drive and visited the historic Thotlakonda Buddhist heritage site, where delegates engaged with the region’s traditions of cultural exchange.

Chikunga reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to international partnerships that create opportunities for young people and promote their meaningful participation in the economy and society. Whether the bilateral engagement with the UAE translates into a formal cooperation agreement, and on what timeline, remains the open question for both governments.