The Pan African Movement Rwandan Chapter has launched youth series that seek to raise awareness and ensure ownership of policies that seek to develop the African continent. Dubbed Africa Expects Youth Series, the program will be held virtually every month and bring together decision makers and youth from different African countries and diaspora communities. According to organizers, the initiative aims at giving African youth a platform to discuss, share, identify and define collective solutions that the African continent needs as stipulated in Agenda 2063 as well as Agenda 2030. Organisers say that Africa Expects Series is linked to aspiration 6 of agenda 2063 which foresights “an Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children”. Speaking to The New Times in a phone interview this week, Protais Musoni, the Chairperson of the Pan African Movement (PAM – Rwanda) Chapter, explained how youth engagement is of great significance. Considering that more than 60 percent of Africas population are youth, they have a critical role to play in ensuring that Africa achieves its target. This begins with being informed about Africa’s precise targets, and what responsibility they have in that regard,” he said. Musoni noted that participants of these series include members of Pan African Movement Chapters across Africa, representatives of National Youth Councils of the 54 Member States of the African Union, and head of African diaspora communities across the world. Other participants include young African professionals and entrepreneurs, university guild council presidents, and other key influencers on the continent. According to Musoni, engaging youth from as many African countries as possible was strategic. He said: “As we raise that awareness of national, regional and continental policies, there is a need for all African youths to be at the same pace in terms of understanding and implementation.” “Most of the problems on the continent are born from leaders who have different understanding of issues and therefore dont work together or when they agree on something they dont implement it,” he added. The first episode of Africa Youth Expects held at the end of December last year focused on tipping youth on their role in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063. The second episode is slated for Saturday, January 23, and will be held under the theme “the role of technology and innovation towards Africa we want”. The Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire is among keynote speakers at the webinar.
