Addis Ababa, April 3, 2025 (FMC) – Ethiopia’s Minister of Women and Social Affairs, Ergoge Tesfaye, emphasized the crucial role of Africa’s youth in shaping the continent’s future.
A three-day Pan African Youth Leadership Summit kicked off in Addis Ababa today under the theme “Unlocking the Power of Youth for a Prosperous Africa.”
The summit aims to foster dialogue and collaboration among young leaders across the continent, focusing on sustainable development, peace, and economic empowerment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ethiopia’s Minister of Women and Social Affairs, Ms. Ergogie Tesfaye, emphasized the crucial role of Africa’s youth in shaping the continent’s future.
“Having over 70 percent of our population under the age of 30, we are a continent that must recognize and embrace the power of its youth, who are the powerhouse of Africa and leaders of the present and future,” she stated.
Ergoge highlighted the significant challenges that young Africans face, including unemployment, poverty, climate change, political instability, and health issues.
Despite these obstacles, Minister Ergoge urged young people to remain resilient and proactive.
“These types of challenges must not deter us. Rather, they should ignite our potential to empower and uplift our youth by providing them with education, resources, and opportunities they rightly deserve,” she added.
The minister reaffirmed Africa’s commitment to unity and progress, aligning with the goals of Agenda 2063—the African Union’s strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent.
“As we engage in discussions under the banner of Pan-Africanism, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to unity, solidarity, and progress.”
Agenda 2063 is a call to action, urging the youth to be architects of their own futures and active drivers of development today and in the days to come.
Over the next three days, the summit will focus on key topics such as youth participation in peace and security, economic empowerment, climate action, and the quality of education.
The event is not just a conference, but a movement that seeks to establish cross-border partnerships and instill the spirit of Pan-Africanism among young leaders, she added.
The summit aims to enhance the participation of African youths in the effort to build prosperous and sustainable peace of Africa.
The summit is believed to play a significant role in fostering pan-Africanism among African youths, as called by local newswire service ENA.
The summit is being attended by young leaders and African ministers responsible for the youth, senior government officials, young scholars, young community leaders and influential individuals.
On the side of the event, startup exhibition and cultural exchange, among others, will also be held.