1 Million by 2021: the African Union Commission Chairperson rallies support for new youth initiative

The African Union Commission (AUC) is set to roll out a new initiative focused on creating direct opportunities for the development of youth in Africa, to actively and meaningfully drive the full realization of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

“1 Million By 2021 Initiative” aims to concretely reach millions of African youth from across the continent with opportunities and interventions in the key areas of Employment, Entrepreneurship, Education and Engagement (4E’s), which will accelerate socioeconomic development on the continent.

The initiative builds upon the progress Africa is making in improving capacities through education and skills development; creating, as well as establishing conducive environments for, opportunities in employment and entrepreneurship opportunities young people; and ensuring they are meaningfully engaged in the development agenda of the continent.

“This initiative will seek to foster new approaches towards addressing the multifaceted challenges confronting the youth on the continent. It is my expectation that it will embolden various stakeholders to develop creative ideas and help build an ecosystem of efficiencies across the continent in furtherance of youth development. To achieve success, it is imperative that we pool our efforts and resources together, and I call upon all stakeholders to join me in this commitment to our future,” said African Union Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat.

Recognizing the burgeoning youth population on the African continent, and the necessity to implement new approaches to solving existing problems, the initiative seeks to embolden stakeholders to consider new perspectives, test new ideas and scale up promising practices across the continent. This will be done through leveraging partnerships among key continental players in the development space and the private sector, leading to the incorporation of a sustainable ecosystem built along collaborative and pan-African lines.

Original source: African Union
Published on 22 April 2019