Pan African Youth Leadership Forum II – “New Generation of Leaders: Young People Making Change in Africa”
Cairo, Egypt. June 16 – 20, 2008
It is crucial that Africa listens to its youth who constitute over 40% of Africa’s population. Yet one of the most glaring faults of African leadership today continues to be the sustained denial and neglect of the potential and contributions of the youth. This continues to be propagated in many African countries by the lack of systematic, long-term planning that integrates African youth and equips them with skills, knowledge and resources to foster their development as future leaders. It is therefore important for African youth to convince governments of their importance by playing their role as productive citizens. Key to achieving this is working towards gaining recognition in the important channels of decision making through organizing and proactive involvement.
Prior to every African Union Heads of State summit, civil society and other stakeholders meet to deliberate on important issues affecting the continent after which they convey the message to the Heads of States through advocacy, informal briefings, press releases or direct contact. However, there is no platform for Africa’s young people to meet and discuss pertinent issues that affect their lives and that of the next generation.
It is with this in mind that the first Pan African Leadership Forum (PAYLF) was convened in Accra Ghana 2007. The week-long, international event, held in Accra from June 18-25, 2007 brought together a diverse group of some of the continent’s brightest young leaders and afforded them the unique opportunity to offer their expertise in addressing key issues relevant to the youth, democracy, and development. The international forum was organized by Friends of Africa International (FAI), an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting human rights, democracy, good governance and social justice in Africa.
The 2007 Accra Forum generated the kind of discussions and ideas needed to engage young people in African politics. Renewing the vision of democracy in Africa was a great initiation theme to this annual forum and Accra was the ideal place for it as it was the first African nation to be freed from colonial control. Issues discussed at this Forum included controversial issues such as the societal reintegration of child combatants to issues that the participating delegates really cared about such as the adoption and ratification of the African Youth Charter by the African Union Member States. Inspiring guest speakers such as Her Excellency, President Mary Robinson of Ireland, Professor Ali Mazuri of Rutgers University, as well as other speakers and honorable attendees, presented encouraging words of wisdom on what needs to be done in the pursuit of democracy on our continent. The forum concluded with youth delegates in Accra proposing recommendations for the goals of future youth forums as well as for higher regional bodies and the African Union and its Member States.
Many of today's African leaders have not taken into serious consideration the valuable contributions that young people make to Africa and have ignored the youth as invaluable resources in the future of African Public and Regional Policy. However, while the youth have the right to accuse African leaders of these actions, the onus is also on the youth to clarify what they specifically have to offer their continent. This was the goal of the second Pan African Youth Leadership Forum held in Cairo in June 2008, to help Africa’s young people develop skills in the areas of economic, political, and social development so to encourage youth based development initiatives; to provide them with the knowledge and skills, both practical and theoretical, to promote democratic ideals; and to provide them with the skills to make sound transparent and effective policy. Hence the theme of the Cairo Forum was “New Generation of Leaders: Young People Making Change in Africa”. Thus, the Cairo forum was not only convened to shape the youth as generational leaders of the continent of Africa, but as a follow up on the preceding forum, taking into account the ensuing recommendations and measuring the success of their goals.
The 2nd PAYLF in Cairo Egypt, June 16-20, 2008, brought together a diverse group of young people from Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Niger, Botswana / South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Somalia, Madagascar, Turkey, including some of the participants from the previous forum in Accra. This second forum provided the platform for them to engage in interactive debates and dialogues on the key issues affecting the development of the continent.
Participants were able to engage in formal and informal discussions with Dr. Amany Asfour of the African Union ECOSOCC Accreditation Committee and the President of Egyptian Business Women Association, who acknowledged that the youth are the cornerstone of the continent and must invoke “choice and voice” in the cause of their development work. She urged stakeholders to focus on uniting and investing in human and natural resources in order to realize the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
A champion of youth and an avid advocate for African Unity, Her Excellency Honorable Saida Agrebi, touched on the importance of national and continental identities and the importance of education for all. She said that youth have the opportunity to improve Africa’s image so it can be re-branded to represent the beauty Africa possesses. Additionally, having youth meet in person is a chance to network, share ideas, and advocate for the voice of the youth. The participants could not agree with her more.
His Excellency, Engineer Khaled Elkweldi, President of International Organization for Peace & Relief (IOPR), Tripoli, represented by Mr. Jamal Amer, noted that IOPR aims to promote a just international peace that takes into account peoples social and cultural differences. He said that the organization also condemns all forms of aggression and military conflicts against peoples and denounce their instigators. He urged fellow Africans to commit to provide protection for refugees until a safe repatriation is made possible for them.
Discussions touched on the role of the elders in addressing peace and conflict in Africa and how young people could be advocates for peace and human rights. Ms. Obasi informed the participants that the institution of the elders was established in 2001 when two prominent people came together to address global issues of conflict and human rights abuses. It is comprised of notable figures including Graca Machel, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Desmond Tutu, Fernando Cardozo, Jimmy Carter, Mohammed Yunnus, and Mary Robinson. The group functions under three self-ascribed mandates that calls for the group to be a catalyst for resolution, to seek new approaches to global issues, and to share wisdom and provide outreach. These members have no political ties and are free to go to countries to assess political situations based on their varied but prolific experience in their careers as leaders. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR was discussed in the light of its 60th year and participants were urged to sign on to the every human has rights from the Realizing Rights website. The Future of the UDHR and how young people could engage Youth in Human Rights advocacy was also noted. Participants were introduced to the international human rights system and its reporting mechanisms. The history of African human rights system and its various units was discussed.
In her presentation on volunteerism and youth leadership, Ms. Onyeka Obasi, President of Friends of Africa International used her personal experiences and challenges she had faced in the course of her work to introduce the participants to what it takes to be a leader. She stressed the qualities that are necessary in order to volunteer and for those willing to step up and effectively lead. Traits include having a sense of focus, commitment, integrity, ability to delegate, and being able to handle challenges in the face of adversity. Also important is the ability to implement programs that are effective and that have achievable objectives, knowledge of technology and media, and communication skills. The participants were further urged to make decisions with a sense of strong ethics as young leaders. The youth delegates agreed that Africa should invest in building the culture of volunteerism and teach them in schools.
In a discussion facilitated by the youth delegates on the role of youth in conflict, the assembly cited two case studies: Somalia and Kenya. Somalia has been in disarray since the 1990’s and militia groups use youth by using economic incentives to draw them in. However this leads to serious psychological and developmental problems. In Kenya, the causes relate back to colonialism, inequitable distribution of vital resources such as land, and problems such as unemployment. Also noted was the importance of understanding the underlying reasons behind conflicts. To redress many of the aforementioned issues, a few recommendations were proposed that called for empowerment of youth; bringing about a sense of unity between young people; cooperation between youth and elders; political, human rights, and civic education; trainings at international platforms; engaging youth from a young age; using cultural and artistic avenues; utilization of IT/media/chatting with people globally; creation of a television station that can showcase the potential of African youth; encouraging youth representation on committees, particularly at the African Union; using local and national political processes to prevent and handle conflict; and engaging civic organizations and volunteerism.
Entrepreneurship and job creation was discussed in the light of the increasing rate of unemployment in Africa especially within the post conflict regions of Africa. Young people noted with concern the increase in the number of unemployed graduates in Africa and urged the African government to commit to building the skills of young people to be entrepreneurs and job creators. One of the participants, an expert on micro credit and small scale loans gave an example of success stories from their activities with young people. It was stressed that engaging young people in business initiatives is crucial to economic development. However, unemployment is a hefty challenge in many developing countries, gaining employment was considered a “self-initiative.” Recommendations included opportunities for youth to network with entrepreneurs, skill building in areas such as starting a business and savings and loan knowledge, and creating ideas that generate income in an innovative manner.
You cannot discuss Africa’s development without considering its institutional partners. Ms. Obasi identified some of these institutions and their roles including the World Bank, International Monitoring Fund, United Nations, and other bilateral and multilateral institutions working with Africa. The New Economic Strategy with Africa and the European Union, and China / Africa relations was further discussed. Participants were concerned about the trade-offs during these negotiations and urged the African governments to include young people when negotiating with its global partners.
It was also asserted that there could be no substantial dialogue on the Millennium Development Goals without exploring and noting the commitment of young people. A presentation on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) given by Dr. Thomas Deve of the United Nations Millennium Campaign Kenya, noted that leadership and the ability to focus are particularly important as is volunteering in order to mobilize groups and in development projects. In terms of the MDGs, he stressed that one must first understand what they are and the various issues they encompass such as education, health, women’s development, and the environment. In addition, the MDGs are broadly aimed to promote the right to live in dignity and with equality. However as of 2007, the picture was relatively negative in terms of the progress the MDGs have made and he stated that efforts needed to be doubled in order to reach the 2015 goal. The MDGs have made slower progress than had been hoped; there should be condemnation and praise where necessary. He posed the questions: “what type of Africa do you want to see? How do the MDGs contribute to this vision and what values and principles are necessary to make strides within the development world?”
Because development is so heavily reliant on economic growth and stability, Mr. Deve’s presentation also touched on issues relating to debt, trade and conditionality, production capabilities in Africa, and bilateral agreements. For instance, in bilateral agreements between African countries and other institutions or partners, what are some of the predominant issues on the agenda? Are they dominated by one side’s needs? How can agreements be leveraged that are fair? Another economic issue touched on was the need to develop demand driven economies instead of export driven economies. Production capabilities must be reoriented to first suit the needs of Africans and then other countries. In reaching these development goals, young people must be at the forefront, creating new visions; to read, read, and re-read, and then go and write, debate with their peers and challenge leadership.
The restoration of African dignity can be actualized with concerted effort through political thinking and action; action that involves and engages the youth. In terms of tangible action plans, centers of excellence for various sectors need to be developed and utilized for educational purposes. Furthermore, primary education should be made compulsory and accessible to all. On the economic front, there is much potential for import substitution which has the capacity to dramatically increase market productivity in African communities. These call for strong consideration by our governments and the private sector. In terms of politics, the nature of decision-making must be made more accountable and transparent policy shifts are necessary. Additionally, it is vital that people learn and develop the use of media and alternative media outlets in order to create solidarity platforms.
The institution, structure, key organs, and the decision making processes of the African Union (AU) were the essence of the presentation delivered by Mr. Desire Assogbavi, Pan-Africa Senior Policy Analyst, OXFAM, Liaison Office with the African Union. The AU began with the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, whose primary purpose was to secure the independence of African states. Now as the AU, it has different objectives which include improving the rule of law and human rights throughout the 53 countries that are a part of the AU (all African countries except for Morocco). These objectives can be carried out through force if necessary in circumstances such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The structure of the African Union is as follows:
Assembly of the Heads of States which is the highest body
Executive Council composed of all ministers
Permanent Representative Council which is made up of ambassadors
Commissions which is made up of other staff
There is also the Pan African Parliament which represents citizens, the Peace & Security Council which has 15 elected members and was established in 2003, and ECOSOC which allows involvement of civil society.
Mr. Assogbavi also mentioned the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) which is a way for African heads of State who voluntarily provide consent are self assessed by their peers and are held accountable in following rules and conventions. This body evaluates various aspects of life in a country and writes a report. Although not mandatory for countries to participate in, it is an “innovation.” He also mentioned the way the AU is funded, noting that 75% of the budget is paid by five countries- Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
In general, the AU has helped bring more respect to the continent as it is a representative body that “tries to talk with one voice.” In terms of the AU Summit, he asked “What should this mean for us [youth]”? He emphasized the importance of youth becoming familiar with the workings of the AU saying, “we should be more informed.” He suggested looking for key topics before each summit to familiarize oneself with issues that are especially pertinent throughout the continent, joining the list serve, and visiting the website regularly. Additionally, one of the reasons he went over the different bodies of the AU was to let the youth delegates know that if there is a pressing issues that youth would like to present, the Pan African Parliament as well as the commissions are starting targets for influence and to interact with.
In a subsequent discussion facilitated by Bukamu Hulela, a youth delegate from Botswana/South Africa, the African Youth Charter (AYC) took center stage. The African Youth Charter is a legal and technical framework for governments to use in developing youth policies; it is also a binding document. However its ratification progress has been slow. Only eleven countries have signed and of those, three have ratified. This calls for African youth to take the initiative in advocating for the AYC in their respective countries. Amongs the ways in which the aforementioned can be carried out, it was suggested to create a project from one of the articles in the charter, and then take the project to public mechanisms and governmental bodies. Additionally, one should take advantage of IT, the media, and the private sector in pushing awareness and advocating for the charter. Ms. Hulela stated, “if we cannot develop youth, we cannot develop the African continent,” and that we must “ensure the ownership of the charter as young people.” Furthermore, even if it is not signed or ratified in a country, they were encouraged to still use it as a guideline.
Ms. Obasi gave a subsequent presentation on how to build a strong foundation for youth. This task falls into three different tiers - the local level, regional, and continental. Locally, youth can identify challenges in their particular communities and objectives of their organization, increase youth representation in local bodies, and create spaces for dialogue. On a regional basis, networking is especially important in addressing transnational issues such as immigration, visas, and displacement. On a continental level, the ratification of the AYC should be at the forefront through various means such as mobilization of organizations, lobbying ministries and relevant offices, and following up on initiatives. Additionally, the African Union has designated the year 2008 as the “African Year of the Youth” – African Youth in Peace and Development and as such, organizations should take advantage of this to push for the AYC and youth led projects so as to reinforce partnerships and increase empowerment.
In presenting what constitutes good governance, elements such as accountability, establishing and utilizing report systems, were a few of the suggested components discussed by the delegation. Also discussed was the capacity to call officials into action when situations necessitate, having access to relevant information, participation, provision of services, recognition of opposition groups, and public institutions. Many states throughout Africa, however, need to restructure domestic resource allocation, improve state development, ensure better policy coordination and management, and focus on poverty reduction. These challenges mean that weak institutions must fight corruption in order to fight poverty, produce and monitor governance indicators, and mobilize social services. An essential part of democracy is the presence of multi-party elections and the transparency of the electoral process. Additionally, provisions for human rights are also essential in building and sustaining a democratic society. Key challenges include: provisions for women, children and other vulnerable groups, independent electoral commissions, involvement of civil society, and economic/corporate governance.
The youth delegates engaged in serious discussions which centered on the capacity of the African Union and its response to conflicts across the continent. It was noted that the AU has limited resources and in most cases, is slow in addressing conflict in a timely fashion. A practical plan of action in responding to these conflicts is to engage in what can best be described as “shaming” the countries involved and the various bodies that fail to act. For example, a human rights organization brought red, yellow, and green cards to a meeting and used them to signify the human rights records of various countries. These kinds of simple yet practical actions can also be a tool to shed light on the lack of signatures for the AYC.
One of the major issues for the AU as well as all citizens in Africa, is the recent violence in Zimbabwe due to the election and South Africa due to a growing resentment towards immigration, it was suggested by many of the participants that in the recommendations there is a part that specifically addresses the recent violence and instability that these countries have faced and urges the AU to take action. Mr. Assogbavi noted with disappointment that there has not been a reaction from the AU on South Africa’s recent problems and that South Africa is showing a bad example by also not doing anything about Zimbabwe and its own violence against refugees and economic migrants.
The forum concluded with a drafting of recommendations to redress the many issues presented throughout the four-day gathering. Initial suggestions and comments included: using volunteerism to advocate for human rights; exerting effort for youth to bridge the gap between African countries; pushing to address issues relating to conflict; utilizing legal provisions (conventions, treaties) to address conflict issues; human rights education, sharing the recommendations with respective Ministers of Youth/Education; creating a fact-finding mission for countries such as Somalia and Sudan; collaborative efforts with youth in Sudan and Somalia; creation of a blog for Forum participants to keep in touch, network, follow progress of recommendations; concentrating on inter-African partnerships/trade; improve education about Africa, within Africa itself; encourage participation in programs such as Model UN and Model AU; increase the number of African Studies programs, all youth delegates should read the AYC by August; encourage inter-country volunteering; plan celebrations for Year & Day of Youth to shed light on youth issues.
The proceedings from this Forum were presented later that week by youth delegates from the Forum at the African Union Summit's 3rd Citizen's Continental Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Finally, Friends of Africa International will remain connected with the participants of the first and second Pan Africa Youth Leadership Forum in order to follow up with the implementation of the action plans and recommendations.
Onyeka Obasi, President – Friends of Africa International
Katie Moore, PAYLF Coordinator
maamul isku dhejinaaya waxii shalay loo dhiibtay taa oo beryahaan danbe ku yareed guud ahaan Afrika gaar ahaan Dalkeena Soomaaliya.
ta la qabsatay xadaarada qarniga 21 aad kaa oo , midnimo, wada noolaasho ,iskaashi iyo isixtiraam ku dhisan arimahaas oo hadey sii joogtoobaan u horseedi kara umada Soomaaliyeed ho'umar iyo barwaaqo wuxuu yiri Cabdi Raxmaan " wadan aan dhalinyaradiisu shaqeyneyn wuxuu ka dhiganyahay qof aan wadnahiisu shaqeyneyn" isagoo intaa raaciyay in xilka maanta loodoortay ay si muslinimo iyo soomalinimo ku jirto ay uga soo bixi doonaan ilaahey idankii kana codsaday dhalinyarada soomaaliyeed meel kasta oo ay joogaan in ay gacmaha is qabsadaan oo aysan ku kala dhumin firqooyin iyo qabyaalad ku waa oo ah laba cudur oo halis ku ah hora utilaabsiga umada soomaaliyeed.
goo ka dhawaajiyay in ay muhiimtahay wada shaqeyn ku dhisan walaalnimo iyo isixtiraam iyadoo isla markaana lala xisaabtami doono ruuxii wax u dhima habsami usocodka shaqada ururka waxaa iyaguna meesha ka hadlay gudoomiya ku xigeenka koowaad ee arimaha maamulka iyo faniga Al ustaad Axmed saciid Dukaale iyo G/ ku xigeenka labaad ee arimaha maaliyada iyo bulshada Al usataad cali cadaw sidoo kale wax
aa ka hadlay xog hayaha guud ee cusub AL ustaad caamir ismaaciil iyagoo dhamaantood balan qaaday in xilka manta la saaray iyo ku dadaali doonaan in ay san dayacin ilaaheyna ka rajeyay in uu lagarab galo
bixinta wafdigii ka socaday Ururka oo ay xubno ka ahaayeen mudane: C/qaadir Cumar Cusman oo ah xoghayaha ,maliyada ee Ururka iyo Al-ustad Maxamed Cumar Axmed oo ah qoraa iyo baare arimaha Soomaaliya xubina ka aha Uruka ayuu ku booriyay uruka in ay si wada jir ah u shaqeeyaan is kana ilaaliyaan qabyaalad iyo nin tooxsi taa oo soomaaliya dhigtay maanta halka ay taalo asigoo sidoo kale ka dhawaajiyay in ay dhalinyaradu dawr muhiim ah ka soo ciyaareen xurnima gaarsiintii soomaaliya hadana ay sidoo kale muhiimtahay in ururka dhalinyarada soomaaliyeed dawr muhiim ah uu ka cayaaro dib u soo celinta xurnimadii soomaaliya iyagoo sidoo kale ka qeybqaadanayay dejinta iyo badbaadinta shacabka soomaaliyeed kaa oo ay la soo derseen daruufo adadag oo xaga amaanka ah iyo noloshaba. C/raxman Turyare iskuxiraha guud ee "SYO" ayaa sheegay in ay madaxwynaha kala sheekeysteen arimo farabadan intii lagu guda jiray kulankaa oo ku dhawaad hal saac qaatay iyadoo madax weynuhu si guud uga hadlay dhibaatada maanta ka socota dalka soomaaliya iyo asbaabihii keenay wuxuuna intaa raaciyay in uu mardhaw soo saari doono afar buug oo uu uga hadlayo taariikhda siyaasadeed ee dalka soomaaliya iyo waxyaabihii uu usoo joogay asigu. buugtaas waxaa kamid ah buug maalmo gudahood lagu daabici doono oo uu uga
hsdlayo wixii dhacay 3dii sano ee uu madaxweynaha ahaa iyo jalaafooyinkii loo geestay dawladii soomaaliyeed. gabagabadii kulankaas ayaa madaxweynuhu urajeeyay ururka dhalinyarada soomaaliyeed guul asigoo ku booriyay ineysan ka daalin halganka ay ugu jiraan badbaadinta umada soomaaliyeed iyagoo ka fogaanaya waxyaabihii fashiliyay kuwii iyaga ka horeeyay.