The first Pan-African Youth Summit was held in Addis Ababa from October 29 – 31, which aims to promote pan-Africanist vision and sentiment to prospective African youth leaders to strengthen integration, the role of Africa in international forums as well as to promote pan-Africanism among the African youths.

This is with the objective of sustaining the work done by the founding fathers of Pan-African leaders who established the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.

The summit was initiated by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. 

 All youth representatives from the African Union of more than 50 African countries on the continent attended the summit and shared their experiences and visions with the youth, who are committed to promoting the pan-African vision and to build solidarity with people of pan-Africanism among Africans at home and in the diaspora.  

The Summit aims to provide an opportunity for the youth to share their experiences and best practices so that the African continent can use this untapped potential to improve the quality of life for young people and to build their capacity and skills for the benefit of their respective countries.

Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed honoured the families of the founding fathers of African Union with the African Youth Award for their outstanding contribution in uniting Africans by promoting Pan-Africanism.  Among the founding fathers honored was Emperor Haile Selassie I with the Life Time Achievement Award, which was presented to Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, president of the Crown Council of Ethiopia and the grandson of Haile Selassie, who received the award.

Among the other 17 former Pan-African leaders received the awards were Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, King Hassen II, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Ahmed Sekou Toure, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kenneth David Kaunda, Nelson Mandela, Abubaker Tafewa Balewa, Modibo Keita, William V.S Tumban, Ahmed Ben Bella, Flexi Houphouet Biogny and Samora Machel.

The focus on the youth comes against the background that young people are at the centre of Africa’s Development Agenda 2063.  Considering that more than 75 per cent of Africa’s 1.2 billion inhabitants are under the age of 35, it follows logically that the development outcome of Africa’s young people will have a significant and lasting effect on the continent’s developmental trajectory. The challenges Africa faces in education, employment, health, and governance are greatly felt by Africa’s youth.

The African Union Commission, along with the rest of the world, recognises the importance of youth to achieving the aspirations of the 2063 Agenda. The Commission’s strategy on youth engagement aims to strengthen its relationship with the youth, and to equip them with the skills needed to amplify their voices to influence audiences while confronting the existing barriers that compromise meaningful youth engagement.

In opening the first Youth Summit at the AU, Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, highlighted the strong potential of African youths to determine the future of the continent.

Minister Mekonnen noted that the objective of the African Youth Summit is to utilise this great potential through unity, in addition to introducing the concept and philosophy of Pan-Africanism to the new generations of Africa in order to strengthen solidarity among Africa’s Youth, as well as among youth in the African diaspora.

The Honorary Consul for Ethiopia in Jamaica, Yodit Hylton, states: “It’s worthy of note that the Ethiopian Government is honouring Emperor Hailie Selassie I for his foundational contribution and leadership in Africa.”

She further states: “The early contribution of Jamaica’s National Hero Marcus Garvey and other Afro-Caribbean as well as Afro-Americans leaders were the foundation of the strong bond between Africans and the Caribbean people.

Prince Ermias was the official guest of the Government of Jamaica during the recent celebration of Heritage Week, which marks Jamaica’s 60th year of independence, and the National Hero’s Ceremony and Awards from October 13 to 23.