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Nduduzo Tshuma in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
THE 29th Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government kicked off here yesterday with calls for the continent to provide an enabling environment for the development of the youths who form the majority in Africa.

In his inaugural address as AU chairperson, Guinea President Professor Alpha Conde, said failure to invest in the youth would have a negative impact on the development of Africa.

Prof Conde’s sentiments dovetail with President Mugabe’s calls for the emancipation of the youth through involvement in all sectors of the economy.

President Mugabe, who is among the leaders attending the summit, has a running youth interface programme where he is touring the country’s 10 provinces to listen and attend to the needs of the youth.

Themed “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in the youth,” the two-day summit ends today.

Said Prof Conde, “Aware of the importance of human capital, the AU has decided to harness the African youth, to find ways and means of developing the youth which constitute 70 percent of the total population.

“The holistic management of the challenges faced by the youth call on us to find alternatives to build economies that are resilient and capable of ensuring the space for the youth in our continent.”

Prof Conde said such an approach would reassure the determination of the youth to convince them that Africa is the best place for them and a source of self-sustenance.

He said there was a need to inculcate a sense of duty and responsibility in the youth by involving them in decision making processes.

Prof Conde said Africa needed an educated and developed youth that would unleash its creative genius towards nation building and development, peace and stability.

He emphasised the need to create a conducive environment for the development of the youth through the provision of among other things, adequate training and health facilities, for the transformation of systems and methods of government through improved and better awareness of the continent’s developmental needs.

“It is imperative on us African leaders that if we don’t invest in the youth, we would have failed our duty and compromised dangerously the future of our youth,” said Prof Conde.

“We would have condemned them to unemployment and immigration to become parasites and beggars.”

Prof Conde hailed efforts towards the self-financing and reform of the AU saying the continental body would not only earn independence and respect but will also be able to equally contribute towards the running of world affairs.

He said Africa has taken its destiny into its own hands and will emerge a stronger and peaceful destination that will attract investment from other partners.
Earlier addressing the Summit, the chairperson of the AU Commission, Mr Faki Mahamat, said the continental body was committed to strengthening peace and security efforts by encouraging political solutions in violence afflicted regions. He urged cooperation between governments, civil society and the private sector in the mitigation of the scourge of drought, famine and terrorism in some parts of the continent.

United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed said investing in the youth will contribute towards a peaceful and prosperous future for Africa.

She commended African leaders for their commitment to self-reliance as reflected in their decision to fund 25 percent of the AU’s peace and support operations by 2020.

President of the State of Palestine who is also the chairperson of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Mahmoud Abbas, paid tribute to the AU for supporting his country’s cause.

He also hailed the AU’s development programmes saying they would turn around the fortunes of the African continent.

The Summit is being attended by presidents Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Idris Derby (Chad), Sirleaf Johnson (Liberia) and Hary Rajaoniampianina (Madagascar) among others.