African Youth Day 09 - joint statement AU and YMCA
ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE AFRICAN YOUTH DAY ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – 1 November 2009
African youth around the continent celebrate the third African Youth Day today, in accordance with the African Union decision to encourage innovation and creativity among young people, and to strengthen youth participation in economic, social and political development of their countries.
This year's theme is 'Productive youth for stability and economic development'. The Africa Union selected this theme to encourage youth involvement in contributing to economic development, poverty reduction and conscientious efforts to promote human development and stability in member States. This highlights young people's central role as active citizens and development stakeholders, actively involved in socio-economic growth while contributing to building a strong, peaceful and prosperous continent.
“The currently economic crisis presents both a challenge and opportunity for Africa. Given our huge youth population on the continent - what is known as the youth bulge - this may well be the time for Africa's economic prosperity, devoid of aid,” said Dr. Raymonde Agossou, Head of the Youth Division in the AU Commission.
To celebrate African Youth Day, the Africa YMCA Youth Summit is currently taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Entitled 'From Subject to Citizen: African Youth Claiming their Space, Influencing for Positive Transformation', this is a youth-led process, and most of the facilitators are youth. The Summit draws together 60 youth participants from YMCAs around Africa along with representatives from YMCAs of Canada and Europe.
“The main intention of the Youth Summit is to equip a new generation of youth leaders in Africa with tools of effective civic engagement. By building civic competence, these youth will be able to engage with and positively influence those in authority. The ultimate outcome of this is that future leaders will be better prepared to design holistic, appropriate and self-sustaining solutions for the continent,” explained Mr Carlos Sanvee, General Secretary of the Africa Alliance of YMCAs.
Addressing youth productivity is critical for Africa's development. A large percentage of youth in many countries remain unemployed, and this often makes them available instruments for destruction, where they are treated and behave like subjects. Providing the opportunities for young people to effectively utilise their energies is a way to facilitate stability and to achieve economic growth and sustainable development. The current crisis requires innovative ideas and actions in the political and economic fields; new strategies and human resources are expected to bring about the needed changes and growth. This takes into account the necessary role the youth must play and contribute through meaningful participation to build a stable, conflict free and growing continent.
“Indeed, the youth capacity lies in their potential and effort to contribute to the development of their countries. The theme also encourages African youth to engage in relevant actions, while maintaining the positive values for peace building, for solidarity and citizenship. The African youth remain the main engine of economic growth peace and stability,” said Dr. Agossou.
Participants at the Africa YMCA Youth Summit have been deliberating on the youth crisis in Africa, analysing root causes and developing action plans to become agents of transformation.
“Equipped with both the belief in themselves and the skills of engagement, youth will be able to positively influence the private sector to prioritise investment in the future of young people and to provide market access opportunities to youth; and positively influence political and civic decision-making processes and policy formation in favour of the youth in Africa. They will also have a mindset change where they begin to see past government aid, donor dependency or crime as a means of survival. One where they are able to control their own future through accessing and managing wealth creation in Africa,” said Mr Sanvee.
A key focus for both the African Union and YMCAs in Africa is the African Youth Charter, which serves as a reference document for African youth and highlights the need for young people to assert their rights and fulfil their responsibilities in the development of the African continent.
However, in order to effectively fulfil their responsibilities and contribute meaningfully to the social, economic and political spheres of their respective countries, the young people need to be empowered and provided the opportunities to live productive lives. The African Youth Charter provides for the promotion and holistic development of the young person's cognitive, creative and emotional abilities to their full potential. This will prepare young people for responsible lives in free societies that promote peace, understanding, tolerance, dialogue, mutual respect and friendship among all nations and across all groupings of people. The Charter also provides for the training of young people to take up agricultural, mineral, commercial and industrial production using contemporary systems and promoting the benefits of modern information and communication technology to gain access to existing and new markets.
The Charter entered into force in August, following the deposit of the 15th instrument of ratification by member states.
According to Dr. Agossou, the challenge now lies in the implementation of the Charter in member States and, of great importance, the central involvement of youth in the implementation.
“Participants at the Africa YMCA Youth Summit are developing action plans on advocacy around implementing the Charter at country level, to ensure that it is used across Africa to tangibly improve the lives of youth and their active participation in issues that affect them,” said Mr Sanvee.