YOUTH SIDE EVENT ON THE SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE
Theme:
“Transforming Africa with Youth-Driven Solutions”
Statement (Final)
By
Mr. Claver Gatete
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and
Executive Secretary of ECA
New York
20 September 2024
Your Excellency, Minister Uchizi Mkandawire of Malawi,
My dear colleagues UN Under-Secretary-General,
Mr. Moumouni Dialla, President of the Pan African Youth Union,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It gives me pleasure to address this event on the critical theme of “Transforming Africa with Youth-Driven Solutions”.
It is also great that we can continue the conversation we started in April this year at the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD), where African youth voiced their vision for the future, culminating in the African Youth Declaration on the Summit of the Future.
Excellencies
Distinguished delegates,
We are meeting against the backdrop of the forthcoming “Summit of the Future” that offers a window to reshape the global landscape and chart a new course for humanity.
And Africa has a major role to play.
With a burgeoning youthful population, there should be no denying that the future of the world is inextricably linked to Africa and the inclusion of its young people in the workforce.
With an estimated 42% of global youth population by 2030, Africa’s youth are not only the future, but the present force of our continent and they must have a decisive role in shaping our Pact for the Future.
However, in the face of difficult macroeconomic realities, climate disasters that consume 5% of Africa’s GDP each year on average, high debt levels and significant financing barriers, urgent and thoughtful action is needed.
Shrinking job prospects, compounded with mismatched education curricula and lack of investment in skills development, especially digital skills, hold little prospect for Africa’s working age population, estimated to reach 1.6 billion by 2050.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Our future generations deserve better than this.
The prospects of shared prosperity should not remain rhetorical or elusive when Africa offers more to the world than any other region.
But turning our offers into realities require the right education, skills development and digital transformation.
And technology is a part and parcel of this ambition.
We must therefore seize the opportunities presented by the Global Digital Compact.
Given the ongoing global challenges, Africa’s digital economy remains an under-utilized wealth resource.
E-commerce alone is a potential US$75 billion by 2025, and artificial intelligence is forecast to contribute U$1.2 trillion to the African economy by 2030.
Digital transformation, however, requires investment.
And we must start with first things first.
While expanded internet access is expected to create 44 million jobs in the next decade, only 37 per cent of Africa’s population is connected to the internet.
Across gender, this is even worse, with 259 million more men than women using the internet in 2022 (UNDP).
Bridging this digital divide is therefore crucial.
We must also get our education systems right.
Investments in STEM and TVET should be non-negotiable for building productive capabilities of young people and competitiveness of countries.
Finally, we must be decisive in addressing the chronic energy deficit.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
We have significant opportunities to turn things around, starting with concerted and deliberate efforts to turn the promises of the AfCFTA into realities.
We cannot over emphasize the unprecedented opportunities in regional integration, digitalization and green energy development.
Put simply, an African common market offers significant prospects for job creation and value generation, not only for Africa but for the entire world
We can develop regional value chains and harness Africa’s comparative advantages in sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and services, creating more opportunities for young people.
Innovative initiatives such as the government of Botswana’s SmartBots Lab, a technology and innovation hub to boost competitiveness and socio-economic development, serve as a benchmark.
Why should we not look forward to a future where our chocolates come from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, our green energy from South Africa, our electric vehicle batteries from Congo and Zambia, and our beef from the Sahel?
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Africa’s youth have already demonstrated their capacity for innovation.
We are also clear of the role that they must play.
It would be unforgiveable if they are shortchanged because of the actions that we did not take today.
The Pact of the Future cannot remain a mere conversation.
It must be accompanied by intellectual rigour, persistent advocacy, and cross-border alliances to ensure transformative change.
Our youth must also hold leaders accountable, promote innovation and become agents of change.
At ECA, we are committed to supporting Africa’s youth as they lead the charge toward socio-economic progress.
As I conclude, I extend my thanks to the organizers of this event – my colleagues at ECA, Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, Department of Global Communications, Pan African Youth Union and the African Union Commission and the government of Malawi, as Chair of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Youth.
I also acknowledge the invaluable support from Nigeria and other member states.
Together, we can shape a future where African youth lead the continent towards a better, more equitable world.
I thank you for your kind attention.