National Youth Authority (NYA) in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organizes one-day stakeholder consultative meeting ahead Of YouthConnekt Africa 2021 (YCA) summit

The NYA in partnership with the UNDP has organized a one-day stakeholder forum to court support for the impending YCA Summit scheduled from Wednesday 20th to Friday, 22nd October 2021.

Opening the session, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie called for support from stakeholders and partners alike to enable government successfully host the summit (the fourth in the series and first to be held outside Rwanda) and more importantly offer young people across Africa a platform to dilate on matters of mutual concern whilst equipping them to provide relevant solutions to the challenges that the African Continent is confronted with.

“As the African Continent enters a new phase with the AfCFTA, so will it present great opportunities that will require youth from across the continent to be positioned on the cusp to take up leadership roles and to fully exploit the opportunities that the agreement presents, particularly post the COVID pandemic.

It is therefore imperative that they are given the tools that will prepare them to lead and to ensure the full and successful implementation of the agreement” Hon. Opoku Bobie stated.

For his part, CEO of the NYA Hon. Pius Enam Hadzide, likened the upcoming summit to the mustard seed and said in spite of its small size is predictably able to grow, spread and influence the prevailing thought patterns and order.

“Like the mustard seed, I strongly believe that the YouthConnekt initiative is likely to be the catalyst to bring African youth together with a common aim of safeguarding our continent and spurring it on to growth and development”.

Whiles commending his H.E Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda for birthing the YCA initiative, Hon. Hadzide further thanked the government of Ghana particularly H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his immense support for the Summit and his full commitment to the youth development agenda.

Mr. Charles Abani, UN President Coordinator and Dr. Angela Lusigi UNDP Resident Representative each made a statement in support of the summit and the pressing need for partners to join hands with the government of Ghana to ensure a successful Summit, with Mrs. Sylvia Adomadzi Longdon making a presentation on the YouthConnekt Africa Initiative.

Mrs. Akosua Asaa Manu, DCEO (F&A) at NYA also gave a presentation on efforts towards securing partnerships for the Summit whilst Mr. Nelson Owusu Ansah DCEO(O/P) at NYA facilitated the session.

There were representatives from some diplomatic missions, development Partners, CSOs and corporate institutions in attendance.