Honourable Ministers and Heads of Member State Delegations;

Leaders of the Pan-African Parliament;

Captains of Industry,

Leaders of employers' and workers' organizations;

Representatives of civil society and youth organizations;

Distinguished speakers, panelists, and technical experts;

Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen

Good evening

As we draw the curtain on the third edition of Africa Skills Week, I extend, on behalf of the African Union Commission, our most profound and heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Government, and the people of Zimbabwe. Your exceptional hospitality, your high-level commitment, and your visionary leadership have made Harare a true home for this continental conversation. From the President's powerful keynote on Heritage-Based Education 5.0 to the flawless execution of this event, Zimbabwe has demonstrated exactly what it means to build a nation by its own people.

I also express my deepest appreciation to every participant who has enriched this gathering. To our Honourable Ministers and Pan-African Parliamentarians: thank you for bringing decisive political and legislative leadership. To the Member State delegations, Captains of Industry, and social partners: your diverse perspectives have been the lifeblood of our dialogues. And behind the success of this monumental week are the tireless hands of the African Union Commission team and the Zimbabwean Local Organizing Committee. I commend you for your dedication and seamless coordination.

Your Excellencies,

We leave Harare with a powerful and unified consensus. We have firmly agreed that skills development is the very infrastructure for industrialization, trade, innovation, and Africa's economic sovereignty.

Our consensus points to four clear directions for action:

• First, putting industry and employers at the heart of skills development to strengthen our AfCFTA value chains.

• Second, equipping our people for the future of AI and green transitions while preserving our human premium and recognizing skills acquired through work.

• Third, ensuring that inclusion is embedded in our budgets and the lived experiences of our communities, leaving no one behind.

• Fourth, ensuring that our implementation is sustainably financed and rigorously measured.

The true test of Harare 2026 begins when we return home. I invite us to turn the "Harare Call to Action" into a practical compact with clear priorities, named institutional responsibilities, and realistic timelines.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen

The African Union Commission embraces its role within this framework of collective responsibility. Working hand-in-hand with Member States, Regional Economic Communities, the private sector, and our development partners, we will ensure that the momentum generated here is sustained. We will support the country action maps, connect the financing pipelines, and drive the accountability mechanisms needed to turn our continental strategies into national results.

Our immediate policy milestone is the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology, scheduled for 2-6 November in Addis Ababa. The lessons from Harare will directly inform its deliberations.

Furthermore, we must lift this conversation to the highest level. Building on the momentum of this week, I invite Member States to consider a biennial Africa Education and Skills Summit, engaging Heads of State alongside relevant ministers and industry leaders. The objective being to build stronger political accountability and sustained investment for results.

To Zimbabwe, thank you for reminding us that African solutions must be made by African hands and minds. To our development partners, thank you for consistently aligning your support behind our continental priorities. And to the young women and men of Africa: we see your ambition, and we are committed to building the future with you.

Harare 2026 should be remembered for the apprenticeships we expanded, the enterprises we enabled, the industries we strengthened, and the lives we changed. We must move together, decisively, from training to value creation.

Once again thank you very much. I wish you all a safe and pleasant journey back to your respective countries.