Africa Region Pre-Conference to Mexico 2010 – World Youth Conference / Invitation to the representatives of the media
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 31, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa Region Pre-Conference to Mexico 2010 – World Youth Conference / Invitation to the representatives of the media
WHEN: 3-4 June 2010
WHERE: Abuja, Nigeria
WHO : Organised by the Department of Human Resources Science and Technology (HRST) of the African Union (AU) in collaboration with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
WHY: Preparation of the World Youth Conference to take place in Mexico 2010. The place of the youth in the society and the voice of the youth need to be heard in important world issues.
OBJECTIVES: – The Pre- Conference is aimed and bringing together High officials and experts in the domain of Youth development to share views on the different thematic issues in preparation of the World Youth Conference scheduled to take place on August 2010 in Mexico .
Each continent was urged to organize a pre-conference in order to brainstorm on youth development and related issues ahead of the Mexico Youth Conference. The Abuja pre-conference therefore will represent the African pre-conference in preparation of the mega event in Mexico.
PARTICIPANTS: participants will include some African Ministers of Youth; Members of the COMY 5 Bureau; African Ambassadors based in Nigeria; civil society organizations; international organizations; United Nations agency dealing with youth development and the African Union Commission amongst others.
BACKGROUND : Investment of Youth in Africa
A country’s youth is one of its biggest assets for peace and development. This present generation represents history’s largest record breaking numbers of young people with as many opportunities to succeed or the misfortune to fail. Youth in Africa as they grow and deepen their leadership responsibilities will face a lot of challenges and they need to be ready for them. This makes youth capacity building a priority. Investment in youth has proven potential to protect the future of our continent and will guarantee the sustainability of the current development gains recorded in the last decade. Youth can build better future for Africa and this makes it important that the individual level capacity is harnessed.
Progress in access to education in sub-Saharan Africa is growing disproportionately to economic size and financial deepening. Job creation and economic activities are still driven by traditional systems of complacency, and ‘perceived’ modesty which views youth aspirations for improved lifestyles and improved social amenities; quality of pay and work conditions to be beyond the parameters of African values and culture.
SOURCE
African Union Commission (AUC)
