Plight of African Youth

Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development is the main theme chosen for the 17th ordinary session of the African Union Summit underway in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

To us, the theme is relevant and key to the continent’s growth and development.

African youths are facing a lot of challenges to their growth and well-being such as poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, among others.

It is, therefore, timely for African leaders meeting in Malabo to map out strategies to help reduce the many hardships facing the continent’s youths.

Young people over the years have been seen risking their lives to migrate to the West in search of greener pastures.

They, therefore, need more employment opportunities to enable them stay at home, and work for their nations.

We subscribe to the proposal made by the host President and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), President Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo, who suggested for the creation of the African Union Voluntary Youth Core.

As he put it, these will create jobs as agreed in the last Abuja Summit, adding that was the surest instrument to mobilize the youth in order to achieve the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.

He offered that Equatorial Guinea was willing to host the headquarters for this African Union Voluntary Youth Core, which should be institutionalized now and not at a later date.

The Chairperson said the youth were now calling for greater attention, a fair share of the national cake, so that they can also make a living for themselves and for their families.

These are true African youths who have long been calling for such a wonderful initiative, and their share of the continent’s cake. 

They also need more training opportunities and credit facilities to start up their own businesses.

African leaders must work collectively and at home to meet the needs and aspirations of the continent’s young people.