African Youth And Governance Convergence
Initiated and convened by Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), the African Youth and Governance Convergence (AYGC), since 2009 has served as an important platform for grooming young people in Africa and beyond the continent in the areas of
- Leadership grooming
- Cascade of mentorship
- Community Impact
- Networking & Exchanges
As a grooming platform, participants do not need to have good research, writing and public speaking skills. What is required is the interest and passion to be a positive change agent in the participants’ community!
Since 2019, the AYGC has served as a Youth Leadership Grooming Program and consistent with AYGC 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 themes, YBF maintains that Africa needs to localize and own the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Amid COVID-19, the harsh reality facing Africa, demands a very intensive and multi-stakeholder collaborative effort to mobilize young people to construct a safe and prosperous continent.
The Thrust
COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO BUILD THE AFRICA WE WANT
Recognizing that the consequences of COVID-19 on economic and social lives in Africa are grave, the virtual 2020 Convergence theme: “COVID-19 Recovery: Building Partnerships for Youth-Led Community Development in Africa”, hints on the value of partnerships for sustainable recovery.
The reality that a sustainable Recovery Plan for Africa requires collaborative efforts that include the building of youth-centered partnerships among government, private sector, civil society and the citizenry is more urgent today. With over 73% of the continent’s population under the age of 35 years, Africa youth bulge presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
Policymakers at the national and sub-regional level are overwhelmed by challenges of unemployment, quality and access to education and basic services like health, water, etc. COVID-19 has also exposed the grave inequalities in the socio-economic and injustice requiring swift action by ALL. Appreciative of the fact that Africa is yet to reap the immense opportunities of its rich resources including human capital; the youth, it is imperative to harness the potential of the youth to lead the development of a sustainable recovery plan for Africa during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
AYGC
ACCRA 2009: “SUSTAINABILITY: OUR CHALLENGE OUR FUTURE”
AYGC
ACCRA 2010 “COMMITTING TO THE YOUTH AGENDA: THE CALL TO ACTION”
AYGC
ACCRA 2011: “DIALOGUE AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING: OUR YEAR OUR VOICE”
AYGC
ACCRA 2012: “PARTNERSHIPS FOR JOB CREATION: A WHEEL FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL GOVERNANCE”
AYGC
ACCRA 2013: “YOUTH INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE: HARNESSING AFRICA’S DEMOGRAPHIC POTENTIAL”
AYGC
LUSAKA 2014: “INVESTING IN AFRICA’S HUMAN CAPITAL FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT”,
AYGC
JOHANNESBURG 2015: AU AGENDA 2063 AND POST 2015 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: INVESTING IN AFRICA’S YOUTH FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
AYGC
JOHANNESBURG 2016: AU AGENDA 2063: INVESTING IN AFRICA’S HUMAN CAPITAL FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
AYGC
ABEOKUTA 2017: “HARNESSING AFRICA’S DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH”
AYGC
ACCRA 2018: “MOBILIZING AFRICA’S YOUTH TO BUILD A CONTINENT BEYOND AID”
AYGC
ACCRA 2019: “PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: KEY TO BUILDING AFRICA BEYOND AID”
AYGC (Virtual)
12th AYGC, Theme: COVID-19 Recovery: Building Partnerships for Youth-led Community Development in Africa