This archive report was first published on 8 December 2019.
As the African continent grapples with a rapidly growing youth population, experts are urging governments to provide opportunities for inclusive development, especially among young people.
Dr Donald Kaberuka, former president of the Africa Development Bank, emphasized the need for leaders to champion equal access to opportunities for all.
"The biggest equaliser is access to education. It is not just the number of kids we're sending to school, but the learning outcomes. The next 60 years are not going to be the same as the last 60, the market is different,” Dr Kaberuka said Sunday at the ongoing Kusi Ideas Festival in Kigali, Rwanda.
Panelists at the discussion, including Ms Sylvia Mulinge, chief customer officer at Safaricom, and Ms Bintu Zahara Sakor, Africa & Norwegian researcher and data analyst, Peace Research Institute Oslo, highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for the youth.
Ms Mulinge noted that digital jobs offer a promising opportunity for young people, while Ms Sakor emphasized the need for African states to work together to safeguard their economic future.
Other experts, including Dr Carlos Lopez, Honorary professor at Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town, and Dr Agnes Kalibata, the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra), also shared their insights on how to secure the future of the continent and its young people.
