Africa Must Empower Youth To Lead — Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has stressed the need for African nations to institutionalise frameworks that enable young people and women of to lead at all levels of governance on the continent.

He said with over 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25, our future lies firmly in the hands of our young people.

Speaking at the recent high-level retreat on the African Union’s (AU) Institutional Reforms in Nairobi, Kenya, the President emphasised two crucial elements for our continent’s success: empowering our youth and women and advocating for the AU’s financial independence.

Policymaking
President Mahama said, “Their voices must be amplified in the policymaking process to reflect the diverse needs of our society.“

Using Ghana as an example, he said, “The recent election of Ghana’s first female Vice President is a promising step for us in Ghana towards inclusive leadership, and I remain committed to this cause.”

Financial autonomy
The President also pointed out the need for the AU to strive for financial autonomy.
“Implementing the Kigali Decision on Financing the Union can reduce our dependency on external funding, allowing us to set our agenda and focus on accountability, transparency, and real change for the African people,” he said.

Mr Mahama commended President William Ruto for hosting the High-Level Retreat and leading the process of Institutional Reform in our continental body.