Strengthening Youth Participation in the Extractives Sector Considerations in Light of Covid-19

Youth participation in the East African extractives industry (oil, gas and mining) is premised on the potential of the industry to create both direct and indirect job and business opportunities. The industry has drawn much interest due to the discovery of oil in Kenya and Uganda as well as significant reserves of natural gas in Tanzania. This is complemented by the exploitation of diverse mineral resources in the region. These discoveries have offered strong prospects for economic transformation, job creation and poverty reduction in the host countries. To realize the potential of the industry, there have been efforts towards enacting local content frameworks aimed at increasing local participation. Youth participation in the industry is therefore important in realizing sustainable development in the region.