« The Government of Rwanda recognises the central and transformative role the youth can play in our economic recovery not only as a major contributor to the economic workforce but as a source of innovative solutions as the world becomes more connected, » she said.

She added that the summit provides a platform where youth can meet with their African peers, exchange knowledge, and foster new ways of collaboration. We look forward to YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2022, at a time when the world seeks solutions to recover from the global crisis that has affected us over the past three years.

YouthConnekt Africa is a continental initiative with the mission to empower young people by enhancing their knowledge, experiences, and skills while investing in their ideas, innovations, and initiatives to harness Africa’s demographic dividend.

YouthConnekt takes a ‘platform approach to solving challenging development issues, and brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, development partners, and the civil society, to address the multiple needs of young people while also fully involving them in the solution-building process.

The YouthConnekt Africa is a fast-growing continental platform with a presence in 28 countries.

To support knowledge development, a collaboration of member states, and coordination of a global network for the African ecosystem – the YouthConnekt Africa Hub, based in Kigali, Rwanda, was operationalized in 2020.