Statement by Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation at the first Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture
THEME: “THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGENDA 2063: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES”
WINDHOEK, 16 NOVEMBER 2017
As the convener of the Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture, on behalf of MIRCO, I once again welcome you to this session, held under the Theme, “THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AU AGENDER 2063 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.”
The theme of this Lecture Series feeds well into the overall theme of the African Union for this year; which is about “Harnessing the Demographic Dividends through Investing in the Youth”.
Given Africa’s demographic structure with a highly youthful population, the significant contribution of the young people to the Continent’s socio-economic development cannot be overemphasized.
According to the UN World Population Prospect (2015), Africa’s population reached 1.2 billion in 2015 and is projected to grow rapidly, reaching 1.7 billion in 2030 and more than double by 2050, to 2.5 billion and 3 billion in 2063. More remarkable is the fact that about 46% of the 1.3 billion increase in Africa’s labour force over the period 2015-2063 will be young people aged between 15 and 34 years.
Harnessing the demographic dividends of the youth, therefore, presents a strategic opportunity for Africa not only to realize the goals and aspirations of Agenda 2063, but also to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It equally presents a good opportunity to build the resilience of young people in addressing the root causes of many of the key social and economic challenges facing our continent.
Undeniably, the youth is our future and hence we invest in them. At the same time, it must be accepted that the youth are an important asset that Africa has that must be invested on if the Africa economy can be under the control of Africans for Sustainable Development to be realised.
As Kwame Nkrumah said “Until the economic power of Africa is in our hands, the masses can have no real concern and no real interest for safeguarding our regimes and for bending their strength to fulfillment of ends.
With our united resources, energies and talents we have means, as soon as we show the will to transform the economic structure of our individual state from poverty to that of wealth, from inequality to the satisfaction of the popular needs.
I have been asked to speak on the topic: “Educating the Youth to Innovative Ideas for the Implementation of Agenda 2063”. I would like to emphasize that education is a critical sector whose performance directly affects, and determines the quality and future of Africa’s sustainable development.