AFRICAN YOUTH CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE (AFRIYOCC) 2017
Theme: ‘’Integrating African Youth in the Implementation of NationallyDetermined Contributions: Trends and Prospects’’
Duration 3 days
Period October 10th – 12th, 2017
Location Abuja – Nigeria
Background
You don’t have to look very hard or far to see the promise and power of African youth to deliver solutions, positive change and prosperity in achieving the Africa Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. And yet, still, on a continent where people under the age of 35 are in the overwhelming majority, youth remain excluded from political leadership and decision-making and marginalized in national economies. We have an older generation in positions of authority, seeking to address issues facing young people without involving or consulting them. These efforts are bound to fail. The inter-generational divide is a modus vivendi that needs to be resolved to avoid repeated uprisings of marginalized youths.
Five years ago, the African Union convened a summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea around the theme, Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development. One of the resolutions of that summit was a commitment by AU Heads of State to reduce youth unemployment by 2% a year. Not only have we failed to reduce unemployment by 2% annually but in fact, unemployment has been increasing every year since then.
In January this year, the AU again resurrected the youth agenda, convening the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of States and Governments around the theme, Harnessing Demographic Dividend through investments in the Youth. This time around, promises to youth by the AU and development partners at this summit included the establishment of an African Youth Development Fund and an AU Youth Envoy’s Office.
Youth Outcome Document of the 12th CAADP Partnership Meeting 11
African Youth Position on COP22
Concept Note AFRIYOCC 2017 10 -12 October Abuja Nigeria
