The All-Africa Students Union (AASU) on Saturday named President Paul Kagame as the Africa President of The Year 2013 in recognition of several pro-youth policies he championed.The award which was handed over during a ceremony held in the Ghanaian capital Accra was received, on behalf of the President, by Education Minister Dr Vincent Biruta.The ceremony was dubbed ‘Africa Education and Leadership Awards’.Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Biruta said President Kagame was recognised for “his contribution to education and youth empowerment programmes in Rwanda.”“AASU appreciates your immense role in promoting reconciliation, peace and development in Rwanda and making it a reference in Africa…the union truly appreciates your many years of dedication and commitment to promoting peace and prosperity in Rwanda.”“You truly epitomise the spirit of this award,” reads a citation, signed by Fred Awaah, the General Secretary of AASU.AASU, is a continental representative organisation of democratic student unions founded in 1972 with 54 member unions from Francophone and Anglophone Africa.Recognising contribution Affiliated to the International Union of Students (IUS), AASU has a consultative status with UNESCO, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), accredited with UNCCD and enjoys a cordial working relationship with the UN system.Other categories included Africa student organisation of the year, Africa support organisation of the year, Africa dedicated student leader of the year, AASU science and culture award and Africa vice chancellor of the year. These were the inaugural AASU awards. During the ceremony, Awaah said the awards recognised the contribution and efforts by organisations, students and individuals in the promotion of education and pro-youth policies.He expressed the hope that the awards would motivate the recipients to continue to support education and youth policies on the African continent.
