The 2nd Africa-Europe Youth Summit ends in Libya

Recently, around 100 youth representatives from African and European youth organisations met in Tripoli, Libya for the II Africa-Europe Youth Summit. The Summit precedes the Africa-EU Heads of State Summit, during which Tine Radinja, President of the European Youth Forum will deliver an input on behalf of the Youth Summit together with the African youth representatives.

Three years ago, in December 2007 in Lisbon, took place the I Africa-Europe Youth Summit, attended by over 250 youth representative from European and African youth organisations, including representatives of the African Diaspora living in Europe. The I Africa-Europe Youth Summit concluded with a Declaration that included the main priorities of African and European young people for the Euro-African cooperation.

The works of the participants  focused on different themes such as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; good governance and democracy; peace and conflict; globalisation, trade and socio-economic development; climate change and sustainable development; migration, mobility, intercultural dialogue and co-development; employment and the decent work agenda and the strategy and instruments for the Euro-African youth participation and cooperation.

“The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership developed by the II EU-Africa Heads of States Summit and the Africa-Europe Youth Summit in 2007 recognised youth as a key actor in development in Africa and Europe,” stated Tine Radinja, President of the European Youth Forum. “In these past years, the European Youth Forum has been working on strengthening of youth organisations, as an essential step towards a sustainable, stable and effective youth cooperation between the two continents.”

During the past years, the European Youth Forum continuously cooperated with its partners in the development and implementation of the process to promote the empowerment of Europe’s and Africa’s youth. Within this framework, and answering to the priorities of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership a range of activities was organised, including training and capacity-building activities for youth organisations and support to youth work promoting youth policies.

The II Youth Summit was organised by the European Youth Forum, the Pan-African Youth Union, ICMYO organisations and the National Organisation of Libyan Youth, with the support of the European Commission and the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. The Summit adopted a Final Declaration on Sunday 28 November. On the basis of that declaration, Mr Tine Radinja, President of the European Youth Forum,  delivered, together with the African youth representatives the input of African and European youth to the III Africa-EU Heads of State Summit which took place in Tripoli, Libya.