The story of young people in Africa is often told in the bracket of economic potential and future prosperity. More often than not, the promise of economic growth, at conferences and talks, revolves around harnessing the youth of Africa. Africa is the world’s youngest continent with more than 70% of its population being below 35 years of age.

Indeed, Africa has the youngest population in the world and the greatest growth potential, of course all things being equal. While 7 of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world are in sub-Saharan Africa, the unemployment rate for that region is 6%, according to the Africa Development Bank.

Compared to the world average of about 5%, that rate may seem neither high nor alarming. However, for most Africans, it requires more than mere words to get the youth moving in the direction of sustainable livelihoods and ultimately continental development. This also makes it even more important to make sure that development policies are reviewed and that young people are given greater opportunities, stronger capacity and a genuine chance.

The UK-Africa Investment Summit on 20 January 2020 laid the foundations for new partnerships between the UK and African nations based on trade, investment, shared values and mutual interest. Billions of pounds of new commercial deals were announced highlighting the strength of the UK’s offer and existing relationships with Africa.

The UK also announced new initiatives and funding which will: strengthen the joint trading relationship, support African countries in their ambition to transform their economies, launch a major new partnership with the city of London, turbo-charge infrastructure financing, and enable Africa’s clean energy potential. Taken together, this will help to realise the UK’s ambition to be the investment partner of choice for Africa, create hundreds of thousands of jobs and ensure the mutual prosperity of nations.

The biggest question is how can the young people, in Africa, concretely contribute and benefit from these summits and agreements? Generally, discussions take place at a global, continental and governmental level. It is only fair to suggest that the agendas and issues raised in such a summit permeate further down to communities where the bulk of youth are.

One can easily observe that the young people of Africa are creative, innovative and above all resilient. Part of being young involves constructing logic out of personal and community experiences. It involves asking questions about the world and the contribution one can make to make it a better place for others. Youth have the mental and moral capacity to identify and challenge existing power structures and barriers to change, and to expose contradictions and biases.

African youth in particular have been living in a constant state of suspense mixed with hope. Suspense in the lack of certainty for the future and hope instilled by policies and goals constantly set, but not necessarily delivered. Researchers have begun to study the interaction between youth engagement and positive development.

Youth engagement is defined as "meaningful participation and sustained involvement of a young person in an activity, with a focus outside of him or herself".

These interventions are based on making youth feel their status and well- being matter to the larger community. Development objectives cannot be met if young people are not involved and taken into account.

In a report, The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations muses that young people are seldom recognised as a resource in decision-making processes. Instead, according to the report, young people are systematically excluded from important arenas of decision-making and development processes. As a result, their perspectives are often absent in policymaking. At the same time, many youth organisations remain drastically under-resourced and ill-equipped to participate in development processes and efforts.

Young people need to take steps in the right direction and domesticate policies and obligations set through their respective governments, regional and global authorities. One can easily advise that African youth need to self-correct and raise their own bar beyond aid and related survival mechanisms. By stepping up the pace up the pace and scale of both intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship: opportunities will definitely arise. It is critical for young people to shift towards meaningful skills and knowledge that matches and prepares them for the world of integration and global partnerships.

A summit of the magnitude of the UK-Africa Summit requires a well-equipped driving force to take advantage of it. There is absolutely no other way to harness the future besides transformative measures at individual, group and community levels if African youth are to emerge a force to reckon with. Embracing skills and knowledge in relevant focus areas is the key to taking advantage of partnerships and the best commitment to accelerate implementation of development and its subsequent goals.

About the Author

Rumbidzai Ethel Chakacha is a native of Zimbabwe and pursues Masters degree in the area of Africa Free Continental Trade Agreement at Cape Peninsula University in South Africa.