Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente has said that youth are the most valuable resource that Africa has and investing in them is the right thing the continent can do. The Premier was speaking at the closing of the fifth edition of YouthConnekt on Saturday, October 15. YouthConnekt summit serves to realize the potential of Africa’s youthful population. This year’s summit that attracted over 9,000 youth also marked the decade-long existence of YouthConnekt since its conception. “I am confident that in addition to the wonderful atmosphere of solidarity that we have witnessed, you have gained much, and contributed much to the goals of YouthConnekt. We know that the most important resource in Africa is our youth, and in particular, skilled African youth,” he said. Referring to the Africa Union Agenda 2063, that targets to reduce youth and women unemployment rate by at least 25 per cent, Ngirente said efforts are underway to realize the targets. “We are working to design and implement policies to increase prospects for young people, particularly through quality education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Investing in young people is the right thing to do. Over the past few years, through YouthConnekt and other forums, young people have shown that they are keen and ready to build the solutions our countries need,” he said. Regarding commitments, he went on to add that, “we are taking this seriously, and continue to invest in equipping young people with the necessary tools for you to reach your full potential, and drive Africa’s transformation.” For youth to reach their full potential and transform Africa, governments need to bridge gaps that hinder their prosperity. According to Ngirente, “we need to do a better job of narrowing the disconnect between existing education and training systems, and the skills required by the labour market. At the same time, we encourage the youth to seek out programs that equip them with the skills and confidence to take advantage of available opportunities, and even create more.” Locally, he said Rwanda continues to diversify its education system, to meet the need for a variety of skills, beyond public sector employment, which has traditionally been the biggest employer. “We are investing heavily in technical and vocational training, to meet the growing needs of our transformational sectors including manufacturing, construction, agriculture, tourism, and ICT, among others,” he said. Other speakers stressed the need for African youth to take part in the future and development of the continent. The Secretary General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, called on the youth to take part in the realization of the continent’s development through the continent’s trade initiative. “Trade agreements are not about the past; they are about the future. That is why you as young people must ensure that your voice is heard as we continue to negotiate and implement the AfCFTA and that we implement it in a manner that is responsive to your needs as a future of the African continent,” Mene said. In her remarks, Oulie Keita, the Executive Director of Youth Connekt Africa Hub, said the three-day gathering gave the youth delegates an opportunity to deliberate their role in developing the continent. “We have celebrated the innovation and creativity of youth entrepreneurs from all across Africa through a Made in Africa marketplace, which further confirms that young people in Africa are ready to trade and take advantage of the AfCFTA framework. Young people have asked for more investment in youth entrepreneurship; enabling start-ups to become resilient; and Made in Africa enterprises through agile and friendly policies; capacity building and investments.
