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Roundup: AU marks Int'l Youth Day, highlighting youth's role in Agenda 2063

Xinhua, August 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

The African Union (AU) on Friday marked the International Youth Day, calling on African young people to work for the realization of the continent's socio-economic development framework dubbed Agenda 2063.

Agenda 2063 is a blue-print that envisions an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa in five decades.

The pan-African bloc has celebrated the Day, particularly at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa where young Africans were gathered under the theme, "Youth leading sustainability towards realization of Agenda 2063."

Young African from across the continent, youth networks, diplomatic corps and the AU Youth Volunteer Corps have been deliberating over the past two days in their meeting, dubbed "Young African Thinkers Convention."

They were engaged in intense brainstorming and idea generation with Agenda 2063 as the key policy framework that led the discussions focusing on seven thematic areas to fuel creativity and the on-going transformation towards youth development on the continent.

They have focused on areas including, education, business, information technology, visual arts technology, entertainment and films, politics and conflict resolution, and debating.

In the remarks during the International Youth Day commemoration, Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, noted that Africa has come long way in youth development since the initiation of the African Youth Charter, a strategic framework for youth development and empowerment, about 10 years ago.

The Commissioner said the Day presents opportunity to celebrate contributions of African young men and women to the continent.

"Youth have contributed significantly in various facets on the African continent through their innovativeness and creativity as the AU Commission, we applaud their work and rally with them," said Kaloko.

He also highlighted the positive role African young people could play for development of the continent.

"African youth play an important role as drivers of change and should be supported as the drivers of Africa's renaissance through investment in their health, education, and access to technology and opportunities, strategies to combat youth unemployment and underemployment."

AU in its aim to invest in youth capacity building and development, launched the AU youth volunteer corps in December 2010, noted the official.

In addition to the volunteer program, the AU Commission offers scholarships to young Africans to further their studies and development in renowned institutions through the pan-African university, he added.

"Scholarship aims at producing and retaining high level African human resources for sustainable development of Africa in critical development areas while promoting regional integration through intra-Africa mobility of our young people."

The Commissioner also stated that the Day presents an opportunity to reevaluate Africa's commitment and accelerate investment in its young people. Endit