Economic Commission for Africa, Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete, has challenged African youth to raise their voice in shaping the future development of the continent ahead of the Summit of the Future.
Opening the African Youth Consultative Forum on the UN Summit for Future held in Addis Ababa, Mr. Gatete, emphasized the importance of investing in the ‘youth divided’ and challenged young people to amplify their voice and participate in global affairs in shaping the future of Africa.
“Youth must participate in the issues that matter to the Common Agenda of the United Nations which has 12 commitments, from where the issues are being drawn for the Summit of the future in September 2024 as well as the Social Summit in 2025, where the youth must be involved,” said Mr. Gatete.
Mr. Gatete noted that 70 percent of the population in Africa are young people and that by 2030, 42 percent of the global youth will be from Africa. This dynamic is reflective of how the youth should be treated.
“You cannot have the future without developing the youth of today and the youth of tomorrow. Youth have to participate in all spheres of the implementation of the SDGs by 2030 and what be involved in achieving the targets,” he said calling for a stronger role of the youth in Agenda 2063.”
The UN Common Agenda is the UN Secretary-General’s vision for the future of global cooperation, calling for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond and deliver for the people and planet.
Mr. Gatete elaborated on the multiplicity of challenges being faced by African countries, including the cascading impact of COVID-19, the debt servicing burden and lack of access to affordable financing and the ongoing push for the reform of the global financial architecture to meet the needs of African countries.
“It is therefore critical for the youth to have a say in these discussions so that their ideas are considered in the Summit of the Future in September 2024,” he said, adding, “We need your voice and your contribution; this is the time to make your contribution.”
Of the 12 commitments in our Common Agenda, the 11th commitment is about listening and working with the youth,” Mr. Gatete said.
“You cannot have a summit of the future without the people of the future,” the ECA Director of Strategic Planning, Oversight&Results Division (SPORD), Said Adejumobi said. “The future can only be defined in the context of the present, you are not only leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today.”
For her part, Mutetsi Oliver, Vice President of Eastern Africa, Pan African Youth Union said young people were eager to participate in shaping the future of Africa but should be supported to thrive on the continent. She noted that insecurity was a major challenge on the continent as was rising unemployment and lack of access to education, health, and social services to young people.
“We employ young people to put their government to task to give them start-up capital just like others do with investors as well as access to land and loans, Ms. Oliver said, calling for the prioritization and provision of sexual, reproductive, and mental health services to young people.
Mr. Matthias Naab, Director, the United Nations Development Programme, RSCA, representing Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP Africa Bureau, said the Africa Youth Forum was a pivotal moment for young people as Africa reiterated its dedication to multilateralism to pave the way to a promising future for the youth.
Mr. Naab said the world is far from achieving the SDGs, and as Africa races to achieve Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, the Summit of the Future was a beacon of hope while the Youth Forum offered an opportunity to articulate the positions, thoughts, priorities, and urgencies of young African towards the Summit of the future.
“Youth empowerment is both a goal and mission and the young people represent great minds with a potential to transform Africa,” said Nr. Naab.
Daniel, Adugna from the African Union Commission AUC, said Africa is already the youngest continent and it must invest in developing its young people. He said the integration of Africa was at the forefront of Agenda 2063 and would unlock economic opportunities for the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).