All Africa Students Union (AASU) Communiqué

We, the participants at the 3rd Africa Students and Youth Summit, met in Accra, Ghana from 28th to 31st August, 2013 to discuss important issues in relation to our continent and define the actions the students and youth must take in finding solutions to them. We are determined that students and youth will continue to play their unique and essential role in ensuring the advancement of Africa.

This Summit guided the participants in Africa's new challenges and confirmed the bond between African nations.

1. At our Summit we discussed the following thematic areas:

- ICT Based Learning and Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa;

- MDGs at the Finish Line: Post 2015 Development Agenda for Africa;

- Emerging Climate and Land Issues: Implications for Food Security in Africa;

- Addressing Governance and Conflict Issues: The Price of Peace;

- Achieving Agenda 2063: Youth Participation versus Youth Engagement and

- Tackling Africa`s Energy Requirements for Industrial Growth: Reaction Time

2. Though Africa is endowed with abundant human and natural resources; it is still lagging in many areas. This situation is the source of despairs and disillusionments among the youth causing their migration in the search for better living conditions elsewhere.

3. With deep concern we noted that Africa is terribly behind in ICT accessibility both quantitatively and qualitatively though we are in an ICT-driven world where virtually almost nothing is possible without ICT solution. In sub-Saharan Africa it is estimated that, only 10% of households have access to computers and internet, with only 4% of online education enrollment coming from Africa and just 22% of public schools having computers. Therefore the Summit recommends that:

a) All African Governments take concrete steps to remedy this situation by creating an enabling environment for quality ICT accessibility by the majority of their citizens ;

b) That ICT training be introduced in the curriculums of educational institutions from the basic levels;

c) That departments responsible for quality assurance at the national and institutional levels should make ICT based learning a criterion for assessing progress and standards.

d) That efforts should be made to demystify ICT by educating the people on its importance and relevance for our development and dispel the notion that it is for a certain category of people;

e) That African Governments should support the Africa Quality Assurance Network to ensure that all Institutions conform to high standards in education delivery services.

4. We realized that Developing Nations particularly African Countries face many barriers to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Africa faces specific challenges making the achievements of MDGs unrealistic. These challenges are poor starting conditions, weak governance and institutions, conflicts and instability, environmental degradation and rising food prices. Through deliberations and researches conducted, it was realized that the MDGs lacked basic and low level consultations and participation which culminated to this situation. As a result, over 70% of HIV cases in the world are found in Africa, 90% of the malaria cases in the world are found in Africa and over 3,000 children in Africa die from malaria on a daily basis.

Against the above stated we recommend:
a) That African Governments should undertake such consultations among their citizenry particularly the most hurt ones i.e. the voiceless, marginalized and vulnerable for the post 2015 Development Agenda.

b) That there should be regional and coherent approaches to solve specific challenges; therefore an African Agenda based on our socio-cultural and environmental realities should be drawn and executed by African themselves.

c) There should be a strong pursuit of the AU's Agenda 2063 since it tackles the intricacies of challenges faced by African countries and it is conducive within the African environment.

5. We noted with great concern the numerous and increasing problems related to climate change notably scarcity of water and collapsing agriculture causing food insecurity, high food prices serious sources of famine, malnutrition, deaths and conflicts. In the light of the aforesaid we recommend:

a) That Governments should subsidize farm inputs such as farm implements, seedlings, fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides and embark on regional or sectional farms to support food production in the economy.

b) The empowerment of local farmers to change from the rudimentary ways of farming to a more modernize form and the conversion of land from cash crops production in Africa to food crops to feed the teaming exponential population.

d) All crude oil producing countries in Africa should adopt working policy and a cleanup strategy during oil spillages and contribute enormously to the lives of communities within which they mine.

e) The development of new forms of preservation for post harvested crops to avoid the wastage of fast perishable agricultural goods.

f) That more attention be given to improved amenities which include good road networks to link farm lands to market areas since only 16% of the roads in Africa are tarred.

g) There should be rigorous policies by African governments towards mechanizing agriculture.

6. We agreed that there is a link between governance and conflicts; we noted the numerous conflicts engulfing many African countries. To that effect we made the following recommendations:

a) African leaders should make priority the interests of their people in all their endeavours, involve the youth in decision-making processes, policy development and implementation;

b) The rapid integration of African countries by ensuring the free movement of people and goods, the establishment of a common African passport and monetary policy towards the creation of a single African currency.

7. We observed with great concern the awful inaccessibility to energy in Africa while it is a pre-requisite for socio-economic development. Considering the enormous energy potentials that Africa engorges; this situation is not acceptable. We took note of inadequate energy infrastructures, lack of adequate investment in the energy sector, education of operators and the public at large.

Therefore we demand that:
a) African Governments put the resources of the continent together in order to satisfy the basic needs of their people;

b) African Leaders should make use of the abundant natural resources (hot rocks, water bodies, wood chipping, animals, wind, natural gas, sun and nuclear energy) on the continent to address the energy problems to ensure sustainable development and making life easy for their people;

c) African Governments should invest in the youth by allowing them to undertake courses in the energy sector in high Educational Institutions.

8. We discussed the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and came to the conclusion that the youth is only invited to merely participate at the tail-end of the Agenda.

a) We call for the engagement of the youth in all processes from the decision-making to implementation stages.

b) We call for African governments to reserve quotas in institutions of decision making such as parliament for the youth.

Conclusion
9. We, the representatives of the members of our organizations, after having carefully examined all the facts stated above decided:

a) That the students and youth of the continent will continually be part of the peoples struggle in the quest for better living conditions and

b) That the students and youth will remain mobilized , organized and involved in all efforts aimed at advancing the continent.

10. We further renewed our commitments to the African Union (AU) and our goal, which is making Africa a free, safe, secure and democratic place without borders.

11. We are determined to achieve our goals and aspirations. Starting from access to quality education, employments and move on to a united Africa.

12. Acknowledgements
a) The participants of the 3rd Africa and Youth Summit wish to thank the Secretariat of AASU for successfully organizing this important event.

b) They wish, in particular, to express their heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Ghana for its renewed commitments and supports to AASU. The participants, further, appeal to other governments on the continent and the Africa Union to contribute financially in the running of the continental student movement just as the Government of Ghana is doing.

Done in Accra on 2nd September, 2013