The President of the Pan-African Parliament Calls for Coordinating a Strategy for African Youth

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Hon. Fortune Charumbira, called on Sunday in Rabat to coordinate the development and implementation of a strategy for youth, especially concerning the simplification of procedures relating to cross-border movement, migration and movement of youth between African countries.

In his address delivered on the occasion of the opening of the Pan-African Parliament’s Second Youth Dialogue, organized by this continental institution, the President of the PAP highlighted the role of youth in Africa, who represent the majority of the population in demographic terms, considering that this Dialogue, hosted by the Moroccan Parliament, is very important to bring about a change in the reality of young people and involve them in solving their various problems, especially unemployment among graduates.

Besides, Hon. Charumbira noted that despite the rich resources and economic potential that abound on the African continent, young Africans are still exposed to exclusion and do not benefit from the various opportunities available to achieve leadership, especially in light of the impact of climate change, emphasizing the need to protect youth from political exploitation in electoral processes.

Praising the work of the Youth Caucus in the Pan-African Parliament, the parliamentary leader called for intensified efforts to assess and improve African policies aimed at this category, wondering about the possibility of crystallizing legislative work aimed at youth, given that "young people expect what we do in the national Parliament to come up with practical measures and legislation for their benefit."

For his part, the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, stressed that youth issues touch all fields, as the commitments of the 2030-2063 Agenda include strategies and ideas to promote the situation of African youth, noting that it is the right time to join efforts and bring points of view closer to ensure a better future for our African continent and its youth.

Mr. Bensaid stressed that the development of African countries is today based on the independence of young people in making decisions, considering that "we assume the responsibility of training the next generation and facilitating their access to basic services, their economic integration and the exercise of their political, democratic and civil rights."

For her part, the Chairperson of the Youth Caucus of the Pan-African Parliament, Rep. Laila Dahi, highlighted that Africa is a young continent, according to the World Bank, and is brimming with important energies, calling for support and giving voice to this category, considering that "only its Africans can defend the continent where they live and of which problems they are aware."

Rep. Dahi added that the African youth want to work for the defense of the causes of the continent that reside in peace and coexistence, stressing that the conclusions of this Dialogue aim to promote the empowerment of the African youth.

It is worth noting that participants in the Second two-day Pan-African Parliament’s Youth Dialogue will address a number of issues, mainly those related to the "African Union’s Methodology for Empowering and Integrating Youth", the two African Union initiatives to integrate women and youth financially and economically, and the 1 Million Next Level initiative.

This event will also feature the presentation of the Moroccan experience in the field of youth empowerment, especially in terms of ensuring the right conditions for the emancipation of youth and enabling them to take the lead on development issues, as well as the role of Parliaments in youth empowerment through the existing legal and continental commitments made by Member States to address the issue of youth empowerment, and the role of human rights and law supremacy in promoting the role of youth.