The MAPS Project is a three-year initiative aiming at strengthening policy-making and programming on migration and forced displacement in Sub-Saharan Africa. With a €10 million budget funded primarily by the European Commission, MAPS brings together a multidisciplinary network of African and European partners—including Sapienza University of Rome, five Italian universities with UNESCO Chairs, and universities in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Spain. It is supported by advisory bodies such as the IOM Regional Data Hub and the University of the Witwatersrand.

Sub-Saharan Africa presents significant investment opportunities across multiple sectors. However, matching these opportunities with the employment aspirations of a fast-growing youth population remains a challenge. Many young people struggle to find decent jobs, while investors face a shortage of relevant skills in the labour force. To help close this gap, the Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven Skills and Vocational Education and Training in Africa (TEI OP-VET) was launched in April 2024 under the Global Gateway strategy. The initiative aims to strengthen vocational education and training systems in SSA by aligning them with concrete employment opportunities emerging from public and private investments, making skills development a core enabler of sustainable growth and job creation.