President Paul Kagame has emphasised the importance of good governance and an enabling political environment to foster the growth and development of the youth in Africa. ALSO READ: Youth Connekt a 'path to innovation, opportunity' Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 7th edition of Youth Connekt Africa summit, on November 8, Kagame said that political instability still ravages many countries, to the detriment of the youth. ALSO READ: Youth Connekt: Young people share lessons from the summit We still have tribal conflicts, many refugees as a result of bad politics and poor governance. This should not be the case, Kagame said, adding that the past should serve as a powerful lesson. On leveraging the demographic dividend in Africa, President Kagame insisted that the right systems and an enabling political environment are key for growth. It is undeniable that the continent has the numbers in terms of youth, but besides investing in systems like education and health, the politics have to be right to create an enabling environment for the youth to flourish, he said. Youth Connekt, an African Union Pan African initiative, connects the youth of the continent for social economic transformation. Currently, the initiative has been adopted by 33 African Union member states, with the Kingdom of Lesotho as the newest member. The theme of this year's summit is 'Jobs for youth through innovative skills' that seeks to address the question of reskilling and adaptability in a rapidly changing labour market.
