The just-concluded YouthConnekt Summit ended with a commitment to shore up investments in youth by African governments, to help them realise their potential and make significant contribution to the advancement of the continent. The summit, which was the fifth of its kind, brought together over 9,000 youths from across Africa and was held under the theme; Accelerating Investments in Youth” ended on Saturday, October 15. The commitment also feeds into the wider goal under Africa Union Agenda 2063, that aims to reduce unemployment among the youth and women by at least 25 per cent, as elaborated by Rwanda’s Prime Minister during the closing of the three-day summit. This is a much welcome commitment that is rather timely. Like we have all witnessed the result of not investing in the youth, we have had thousands of African youth ending up making desperate journeys across the Mediterranean Sea in an effort to make it across to Europe looking for opportunity. Through these dangerous journeys, many have died on the way while others have ended up stuck in countries like Libya, where they have been subjected to all sorts of ill-treatment including being sold as slaves on open market. The result has been the breakdown of the global immigration system that we continue to witness. On the other hand, we have witnessed first hand the pleasant results derived from a little investment in the youth, especially in the area of Information Communication Technology, where Rwanda is a live example, if some of the important innovations in this area that we have witnessed are anything to go by. With investment in areas such as ICT and proper policy orientation, our youth will for once have an opportunity of not being second fiddle from their counterparts in the Global North and elsewhere. It is therefore critical for governments to prioritise investments in ICT infrastructure like broadband, which are key in helping the youth realise potential and explore the limitless opportunities in this field. Investing in the youth is therefore a sure bet for unlocking the continent’s potential.
