African youth have solutions to their challenges - Ablakwa

Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Education on Monday called on African youth to join efforts at solving the challenges that face the continent, including the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa.

He cited another incident where the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, which is domiciled in Somalia, attacked the Westgate Mall in Kenya, killing many people of different nationalities, including the prominent Ghanaian poet Kofi Awoonor and committed the Garissa University attack this year.

“Terrorism has shown that it knows no borders, respects no borders and it is a threat to the human race everywhere regardless of what continent you find yourself in,” he said.

Mr Ablakwa said this at the opening of the first Mandela Washington Fellowship West African Regional Conference in Accra.

He said many challenges such as the outbreak of Ebola and terrorism, affected not only the individual countries but others around it.

Mr Ablakwa said such challenges underscore the importance of the conference as it seeks to bring down the borders and bring Africans together.

He said the initiative shows that it is imperative for nations to work together while the challenges that confront young people as individuals are not unique.
“It is we who have the solutions to our own problems. We understand the challenges better. We know our challenges and only we can solve these challenges and that is why this initiative is most laudable,” he said.

Mr Ablakwa commended President Barack Obama for the initiative which he said showed not only the US President’s belief in and support for African youth but also his understanding of the challenges they face and the solutions they possess to those challenges.

 “The government of the US has shown over the years that it believes in a communal wealth, believes in all of us working together, respecting different cultures, different values and integrating,” he said.

He also commended the advisory board of the programme for their work on Ebola saying they are showing that it is possible to lead and not always depend on external aid.

Mr Gene Cretz, US Ambassador, said the idea of the YALI Network was to empower African leaders, adding that there is currently a network in Ghana and throughout the continent.

He said the network would soon open two West Africa regional leadership centres in Accra and Dakar to serve as focal points for the youth of Africa to access a resource.

He said the initiative, though it could not solve all of Africa’s problems, would go a long way towards creating a vital network of leaders that would ensure that Africa as a whole goes to the next stage of its development.

He said the programme’s success had led to the launch of similar initiatives in other parts of the world including the young leaders of the Americas initiative for emerging entrepreneurs and civil society activists.

“This is a real game-changer, not only for Africa but for the rest of the world,” he said, adding that the initiatives would be a legacy for President Obama and his team for many years.

Participants at the two-day conference include about 150 Mandela Washington Fellows from 21 African countries would be highlighting and discussing issues and ideas for promoting entrepreneurship, growth sectors, inclusive development, energy, women in technology and philanthropy in Africa.

GNA