As part of efforts to address the gap between the youth and government as well as create a sustained avenue to prepare young people in Africa for governance and leadership, the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) in collaboration with the National Youth Authority will host the 11th edition of the African Youth and Governance Convergence (AYGC) in Ghana from August 11 – 18 2019 at the Hill View Guest Centre Abokobi-Accra.
Themed “Partnerships for Youth Development: Key to Building Africa beyond Aid” the meeting will host 120 young people drawn from 25 African countries and 20 from the diaspora.
The AYGC is a week-long convergence initiated and convened by YBF since 2009.
It brings together the youth, experts in academia, government officials and public servants to analyze policy documents and deliberate on issues affecting the continent.
Speaking to the media ahead of AYGC 2019, Professor Ransford Gyampo, the Head of Youth Bridge Research Institute (YBRI), observed that, AYGC 2019 will delve much into the practical ways of achieving the vision of Africa Beyond Aid through youth development, mentorship and leadership.
He expressed the hope that this year’s meeting would also deepen collaboration between young people in Diaspora and their African counterparts in a manner that makes them useful to the continent’s quest for development.
Mr Seth Oteng, the Executive Director of YBF, stated that over the years the annual youth-leadership convergence had held discussions and made recommendations bordering on youth development and participation in development.
“YBF maintains that Africa needs to localize and own the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the harsh reality facing Africa demands a very intensive and multi-stakeholder collaborative effort to mobilize young people to construct a prosperous continent ‘BEYOND AID’,” he added.
Delegates will engage in research and share extensive knowledge on various topics under Health, Education, Diaspora Youth Affairs, Governance and Leadership and Employment and Entrepreneurship Development, rule of law; gender equality and social Inclusion; environment and foreign affairs to produce the 2019 AYGC Resolution Booklets based on delegate’s committee works.