Government of Rwanda says it is targeting to reduce unemployment rate to 4 percent from the current 8 percent in seven years through the formation of cooperatives.

The Minister of Public Service Anastase Murekezi said government is encouraging vocational training and the formation and support to cooperatives and associations in a bid to facilitate the capacities of such businesses to create additional jobs in the economy.

He said this during a press conference on the preparation of the International Labour Day that would be celebrated under the theme "Employment promotion through supporting professional cooperatives and associations”.
 
According to the Minister, the working age group currently stands at 5.3 million with 670,000 still in school while public servants account for two percent representing 120,000 jobs.
 
"Government employs a small percentage but because it is mainly services, it positively impacted on private sector employment which registered 98 percent growth,” he said.

On average, between 100,000 and 140,000 new jobs are created per year out of a  target of  200,000 new jobs by the year 2017.
In collaboration with Ministry of Trade and Industry, a manpower survey is being conducted to better profile the local labour market within different sectors in Rwanda, a move that will reveal how new jobs are created annually.

"The survey is expected to be complete by the end of this year. It provides information like who is working where and where they train from and if the jobs are sustainable,” he said.

While formal sector share of vacancies is 6.2 percent, the informal sector is said to dominate the employment industry with 93.8 percent.

Experts say unemployment currently stands at over 205 million worldwide, its highest-ever recorded level.

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