Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Institute of Horn of Africa Studies (MNIHAS), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Djibouti, hosted an informational workshop on the upcoming U.S.-Djibouti Trade and Investment Mission. The event took place on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Norway House in Minneapolis.

The workshop brought together a diverse group of participants, including Ambassador Mohamed Said Douale who joined virtually, Executive Director of MNIHAS, elected officials, business leaders, investors, representatives from academic institutions, chambers of commerce, and community members—all united by a shared interest in exploring investment opportunities in the Republic of Djibouti.

During the event, organizers officially announced that the U.S.-Djibouti Trade and Investment Mission will take place from May 28 to May 31, 2025. The mission is designed to foster strong business partnerships between U.S. and Djiboutian companies, strengthen bilateral economic ties, and expand market access for American businesses in the region.

With a population of over 400 million in the East African market, Djibouti’s strategic location on the Red Sea positions it as a gateway to international trade. The country presents significant opportunities across a range of sectors, including logistics, renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, technology, and education.

The trade and investment mission aims to connect American businesses with key stakeholders in Djibouti, creating a platform for sustainable collaboration and mutual economic growth.

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MINNEAPOLIS – I am proud to share that the motion I brought forward to maintain Violence Interrupter services in the Cedar Riverside and Elliot Park neighborhoods passed in the City Council meeting. Violence Interrupters have consistently shown their value by de-escalating conflicts and building trust within our neighborhoods. Their efforts highlight the power of community-led approaches in preventing violence and creating safer environments for everyone.

The motion I brought forward included to first decreasing the budget for the Community Safety Center Pilots by $650,000 from the restricted Public Safety Aid balance in the General Fund. This will then allow us to increase the budget by allocating those funds for the Neighborhood Safety Department who carry out MinneapolUS Strategic Initiatives, to ensure violence interruption services continue in Cedar Riverside and Elliot Park. This funding will ensure that the essential work of Violence Interrupters can continue without interruption. The Neighborhood Safety Department will oversee the allocation of these funds, reinforcing our city’s commitment to reducing violence and supporting community-based solutions.

I also want to extend a special thank you to all 11 councilmembers who attended and voted in favor of this motion. I’m especially grateful to Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai and Councilmember Robin Wonsley for their assistance in writing this budget amendment. Additionally, I want to acknowledge Deputy Director Lea Lakes from the Neighborhood Safety Department for her continued support and dedication.

Thank you once again to my colleagues and our community for standing together in support of this important initiative.

-Jamal Osman

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St. Paul, MN – Minnesota jobs remained stable in February and the labor force grew by 3,800 people, according to data released today by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Minnesota lost 700 jobs in February, effectively flat over the month. The state’s unemployment rate stayed at 3.0% for the fifth month in a row, with the national unemployment rate at 4.1%. Minnesota’s labor force participation rate also stayed steady at 68.1% in February, compared to 62.4% nationally.

“Overall Minnesota continues to have a strong labor market with jobs numbers remaining stable in February,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “And over the year job growth is solid at 1.4% in Minnesota, outpacing the national rate of 1.3%. This is good news both for employers and our labor force.”

Five of the 11 supersectors gained jobs in February, led by strong months for Education & Health Services (up 2,100 jobs), Professional & Business Services (1,900 jobs) and Manufacturing (600 jobs).

Five supersectors lost jobs, with Leisure and Hospitality (2,900), and Trade, Transportation & Utilities (1,600) posting the highest decreases. Government lost 400 jobs over the month.

Over the year, Minnesota employers added 40,600 jobs – job growth that was faster than the nation in terms of total non-farm employment as well as private sector employment. Six supersectors gained jobs in Minnesota over the year, including Education & Health Services (up 25,300, with the Health Care & Social Assistance subsector up 5.0%); Government (up 11,900); and Other Services (up 4,475).

Wages in Minnesota continued to be very strong in February, rising more than double the rate of inflation.

“Overall, Minnesota’s labor picture in February is positive, with steady employment, a growing labor force and consistently robust wage growth,” said Angelina Nguyễn, director of DEED’s Labor Market Information Office.

Visit the DEED website to access full state and national employment statistics, monthly jobs numbers and further analysis of this month’s data. You can also find alternative measures of unemployment. In addition, find related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at CareerForceMN.

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