
<p><strong>Why business has a greater role to play in mitigating conflict with COVID-19</strong></p>



<p>By <a href="https://twitter.com/chidomunyati?lang=en">Chido Munyati</a>, Lead, Africa regional team, World Economic Forum.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/38326-doc-covid-19_impact_on_african_economy.pdf">report</a> by the Africa Union estimates that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “nearly 20 million jobs, both in the formal and informal sectors, are threatened with destruction”. The resulting potential for social unrest is largely due to the disproportionately-affected youth demographic (15-24 years), whose level of unemployment is <a href="https://media.africaportal.org/documents/Occasional_Paper_30_En.pdf">twice that of older adults</a>.</p>



<p>Africa is demographically the world’s youngest continent. By 2030, one fifth of the global labour force – and nearly <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_728052.pdf">one third of the global youth labour force</a> – will be from this region. While 10 to 12 million youth enter the workforce each year, <a href="https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Images/high_5s/Job_youth_Africa_Job_youth_Africa.pdf">only 3 million formal jobs are created</a>. Indeed, the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will likely exacerbate this trend. Notably, in the first month of the crisis, it has been <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_743036/lang--en/index.htm">estimated</a> that the income of informal workers in the region dropped by 81%. In Africa, 85.8% of employment, and <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_728052.pdf">95% of youth employment</a>, is informal. The ILO defines informal employment as “employment without legal or social protection”. This work is often characterized by low pay, erratic hours, uncertain employment status, and hazardous working conditions.</p>



<p><strong>For more stories on the impact of COVID-19 on Africa visit: </strong><a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a></p>



<p>Worryingly, the combination of the region’s demographic dividend and the <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/04/09/covid-19-coronavirus-drives-sub-saharan-africa-toward-first-recession-in-25-years">first recession in 25 years</a> will probably increase the risk of social unrest. There is a <a href="https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/Working_Paper_171_-_Youth_Unemployment_and_Political_Instability_in_Selected_Developing_Countries.pdf">considerable body of literature that argues</a>, both from theoretical and empirical perspectives, that large youth unemployment – associated with socioeconomic inequalities and corruption – is a driver for instability and national insecurity. For example, access to quality jobs was a <a href="https://atlantic-community.org/youth-unemployment-north-africas-ticking-time-bomb/">central demand and a key driver</a> of the Arab Spring protests. Moreover, in the <em>Regional Risks for Doing Business 2020</em> <a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/regional-risks-for-doing-business-2019">report</a>, for the second year running, business identified “unemployment or underemployment” as the top risk in the region.</p>



<p>While the primary responsibility for peace, security and development must rest with governments, we are witnessing a <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2891391">growing acceptance and enquiry</a> into multitrack approaches to conflict prevention, whereby private-sector efforts complement those of the public and civil society sectors. An <a href="https://www.usb.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Brian-Ganson-A-Seat-at-the-Table_FINAL-010819-Web.pdf">analysis of patterns across case studies</a> suggests that companies can help establish or sustain peace, or mitigate conflict. Attempts have been made to develop a <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230277052_1">theoretical framework</a> for measuring the effects of private-sector activities on the development of peace and security.</p>



<p>Effectiveness in conflict prevention and peacebuilding flows from intervention into the key driving factors of conflict – factors without which the conflict would not exist or would be significantly different.</p>



<p>To the extent that private-sector actors aspire to change the driving factors of conflict and violence sufficient to achieve positive outcomes, there needs to be a clear theory of change, which analyses the key drivers of conflict and resilience and conceptualizes strategies for transforming conflict dynamics. <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/11/what-is-a-transformation-map/">Transformation Maps</a> are a knowledge tool that can help stakeholders move from anecdotal evidence to a more rigorous and systematic understanding of the drivers of conflict and resilience.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="872" height="774" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Africa_Transformation_Map.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-373223" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Africa_Transformation_Map.jpg 872w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Africa_Transformation_Map-300x266.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Africa_Transformation_Map-768x682.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Africa_Transformation_Map-696x618.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Africa_Transformation_Map-600x533.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 872px) 100vw, 872px" /></figure>



<p>Importantly, any role for business can only complement other elements of conflict prevention and should not be seen as distinct. One implication of a systems perspective to conflict prevention and peacebuilding is that the effect of any intervention derives from the impacts that the activities have on drivers of conflict within a larger conflict system, and not from any intrinsic good that comes from a particular standalone activity.</p>



<p>For example, an <a href="https://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/igf-asm-global-trends.pdf">estimated 9 million people</a> (mostly youth) in Africa are directly involved in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) – and an additional 54 million indirectly depend on ASM for their livelihoods. (In most African countries, 5-20% of the population directly depends on ASM.) However, almost all ASM activities are informal and occur outside of legal frameworks. Consequently, the illegal trade of minerals <a href="http://pratclif.com/2015/mines-ressources/polinares/chapter7.pdf">contributes to violent conflicts</a>.</p>



<p>Global mining companies are attempting to <a href="http://www.aga-reports.com/18/sdr/material-issues/asm">address</a> these discrete drivers of conflict – vulnerable employment, inequality and exclusion – by providing artisanal miners with geological, value-addition and administrative support. But these local-level interventions must be integrated into regional and international regional mechanisms that legalize and formalize ASM activities.</p>



<p>By weakening or transforming the drivers of conflict, companies can help reduce the risk of conflict, and better ensure the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/234d8fd6-6e29-11ea-89df-41bea055720b">long-term preservation and resilience</a> of their businesses. In all cases, these interventions should be undertaken in ways that acknowledge the primacy of local actors, are sensitive to the complex context, and help build trust and confidence.</p>



<p>In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be an even greater demand for job security in Africa; and there will be a need to further develop inclusive business models that facilitate young people’s transition to the formal economy, which in turn will reduce the risk of instability.</p>


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Op-Ed: COVID-19 is likely to lead to a vast increase in youth unemployment in Africa, this is how business can mitigate the damage…

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Recently it was announced that youth basketball program, Giants of Africa will be hosting its first week-long festival this August right here in Kigali, Rwanda. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Makeda Mahadeo reports.</p>


Kigali to host first Giants of Africa basketball festival

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As youth seek out what they believe to be profitable and business-focused careers, it has been said that they are increasingly turning away from agriculture. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Fiona Muthoni filed this report.</p>


This is what Rwanda is doing to attract its youth into agriculture

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<p>A recent World Bank report showed that the youth and women are the most financially excluded groups in Africa. On how to overcome some of the challenges faced by young people in accessing financial services, Managing Partner WS Technology, Martin Warioba joins CNBC Africa&#8217;s Arnold Kwizera for more.</p>


Is Africa doing enough to improve financial inclusion for women and youth?

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<p>At the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Ministerial Conference taking place in Cape Town, CNBC Africa spoke to SA Minister of Environmental Affairs Nomvula Mokonyane, on South Africa&#8217;s green economy strategy, and how it will benefit the youth.</p>


Minister of Environmental Affairs speaks on SA’s green economy strategy

<p>By Oulie Keita, ONE campaign regional representative for Francophone Africa.</p>
<p>Africa has been blessed, not only with natural resources but also an abundance of youth, yet we fail to adequately invest in them. At least 60% of Africa’s young people are under the age of 30 but unemployment continues to rear its ugly head leaving frustrated youth so desperate that they are migrating in droves for better opportunities abroad despite the dangers of slavery and drowning in the Mediterranean sea.</p>
<p>The reality is that there has been a migration boom in recent years. Thousands of unemployed youth are leaving, yet they are Africa’s greatest resource. We need to tap into this resource and invest in them if we are to succeed in addressing developmental challenges facing the continent, particularly in the Sahel G5 countries, which consists of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania.</p>
<p>With around 80% of people aged under 34 in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania, the Sahel is a contributor of the continent’s youth boom while being one of the poorest and most fragile regions of the world. The region is at the forefront of Africa’s opportunities and challenges. If the right investments in education, employment and empowerment of the young people are made today, the development of the region could see continental and global growth surge. Yet, despite efforts to improve conditions in the region, the situation continues to deteriorate. It faces extreme poverty, rapid population growth, fragile governance, corruption, extreme climate and insecurity.</p>
<p>While Africa’s population is set to increase to 2.5 billion by 2050, the Sahel Region is the driver of Africa’s youth boom yet it remains one of the poorest and most fragile areas in the world.</p>
<p>As we celebrate Africa Day, ONE campaign appeals for African Leaders to commit and act upon the African Union Demographic Dividend road map. Leaders should double down on efforts to create jobs, increase the quantity and quality of education spending and create opportunities at home by rooting out corruption, and investing in job-creating sectors, as echoed by the African Union and Nelson Mandela.</p>
<p>“The region is at the forefront of Africa’s opportunities and challenges. If the right investments in education, employment and empowerment of the young people are made today, the development of the region could see continental and global growth surge” &#8212; Mandela</p>
<p>We need to guide our youth through quality education and channel them in the right direction. Former South African president Nelson Mandela believed strongly in the power of young people and their role to harness positive change in Africa. We need to honour his legacy.</p>
<p>In recent years, the youth have been pushed to the edge as unemployment continues to escalate. Of Africa’s 420 million youth, aged between 15-35, one-third are unemployed and discouraged, another third are vulnerably employed, and only one in six has a steady paid job.</p>
<p>Despite efforts to improve conditions in the Sahel region, the situation continues to deteriorate as it faces extreme poverty coupled with a rapid population growth, a fragile leadership, corruption, extreme climatic conditions and insecurity.</p>
<p>Our leaders need to act and change its approach to the Sahel Region to ensure sustainable development. For many decades, tackling extreme poverty has been neglected, but now is the time to make it a priority. Countries need to come together and commit to policy reforms, while scaling up investment in youth and projects to deliver on the changes needed. This will in turn mean that Sahel G5 countries need to sit at the table and participate in finding solutions, while also committing to the objectives. Actionable long-term strategies will be vital for investing in our youth to eradicate poverty and curb migration. Joblessness is a headache affecting most of Africa.</p>
<p>For us to tackle these challenges, the Sahel G5 countries must be included in all stages of the decision-making and implementation processes, and create an equal partnership between all stakeholders. A true equal partnership between African and partner countries, with the Sahel G5 countries at the driver’s seat and their priorities placed at the forefront; because shared benefits mean shared responsibilities.</p>
<p>Tackling poverty in the Sahel and creating the conditions for inclusive, sustainable development will ensure the prosperity and the stability of the region and beyond.</p>


OpEd: Investing in youth needs to be a priority for Africa

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<p>African countries are looking for ways to engage the youth to participate in agriculture by using ICT as they bid to boost job opportunities and strengthening efforts against hunger. Will the August 20th to 21st 2018 meeting on youth and agriculture provide solutions to this puzzle? Gaulbert Gbehounou, FAO Country representative in Rwanda joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Can technology lure Africa’s youth into agriculture?

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<p>With a promise of free movement and trade slowly being realized, the youth, at the forefront developing solutions to modern day challenges stand to be the biggest beneficiaries.</p>


How the youth can solve Africa’s challenges

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<p>Public service delivery in Africa won’t be effective enough if the youth, which constitute a bigger percentage of the continent’s population, is not given space to participate. That’s according to Aya Chebbi, Founder of Afrika Youth Movement.</p>


Africa’s youth underrepresented in public service – Afrika Youth Movement

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<p>Mastercard Foundation has unveiled “Young Africa Works” a project that aims to reduce poverty on the continent with the ultimate target to enable 30 million youth to secure jobs by 2030; for more CNBC Africa spoke to Reeta Roy, President and CEO.</p>


Mastercard aims to assist 30mn African youth to secure jobs by 2030

<p><em>Alex Awiti</em> |<em>The Aga Khan University </em></p>
<p>With an estimated median age of about 17 years, East Africa is one of the youngest regions in the world. By comparison, the median is about 40 in Europe, 38 in North America and 29 in Asia. According recent national census data for Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, about 80% of the population is below 35 years.</p>
<p><div id="attachment_121977" style="width: 1110px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-121977" class="wp-image-121977 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Youth_Obama-White-House-Archives.jpg" alt="" width="1100" height="733" /><p id="caption-attachment-121977" class="wp-caption-text">African youth taking part in the Young African Leaders Initiative town hall raise their hands as President Barack Obama delivers remarks a the summit in Washington, D.C., July 28, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)</p></div></p>
<p>The identities, norms and values of this majority generation provide important clues for understanding the future; the world’s collective moral and ethical character.</p>
<p>A study commissioned by the East Africa Institute of the Aga Khan University, 7,000 18 to 35-year-olds in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda were interviewed between 2014 and 2015. The object was to understand how they thought about themselves and what values and attitudes they held.</p>
<p>About 40% of the respondents saw themselves first and foremost as young people while 34% saw themselves first as citizens of their countries. Only 11% identified themselves by their faith first and 6% identified as members of their family first. Only 3.5% reported their tribe or ethnicity as the first dimension of their identity.</p>
<p>Identifying as young people is consistent with policy and legal categorisations that establish them as a socially distinct category. This distinct identity enhances a sense of esprit de corps and a sense of belonging. This in turn confers a sense of social entitlement as well as shared grievance.</p>
<p>The findings suggest that young people’s identities, values, norms and attitudes are shaped by their families, their communities and by wider society. Our findings are consistent with previous work by sociologists and behavioural and moral economists.</p>
<p>Young people are the mirror image of the adult world around them. This means that any if countries want to change the attitudes and values of young people they need to start the adults – from the family to community to the national level.</p>
<h2>Country differences</h2>
<p>While the study revealed numerous parallels, there were also striking differences. In Kenya for example, the proportion of young people who identified by ethnicity was 4% between ages 18 and 20. But the number nearly doubled to 7.8% between the ages of 21 and 35. The converse was true in Tanzania where ethnicity as a dimension of identity had remained relatively stable (2.3% and 2.9%) from between the ages of 21 and 35 years.</p>
<p>This can be partly explained by the fact that since independence Tanzania, unlike Kenya, has focused on reducing the issue of ethnic identity. Tanzania’s ruling party elite has consistently supported the ethos of Ujamaa &#8211; equitable economic production and distribution of public resources to drive social cohesion and economic progress.</p>
<p>About 80% of the young people involved in the survey valued faith first. About half valued work and family first while 37% valued wealth first and a quarter freedom first.</p>
<p>But about 60% admired those who used get-rich-quick schemes. And more than half believed it didn’t matter how one makes money while 53% said they would do anything to get money. The survey found 37% would take or give a bribe and 35% believed there is nothing wrong with corruption.</p>
<p>An outliner was Rwanda where most said they wouldn’t take or give a bribe and were unambiguous about the fact that corruption was wrong.</p>
<p>From the survey results it’s clear that corruption has been normalised in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Bribery is viewed simply as “eating” and isn’t seen as an ethical aberration.</p>
<h2>How society affects attitudes</h2>
<p>The view of young Rwandans is clearly affected by what they experience on a day to day basis. For example, there were reports of policemen accused of corruption being fired in 2017 while reports of civilians accused of bribing policemen arrested are not uncommon. In addition, the Ombudsman regularly publishes the list of individuals convicted of corruption related offences.</p>
<p>It is possible therefore that young Rwandans engage in a cost benefit analysis. This could inform the ultimate decision about taking or giving a bribe or a belief that there was nothing wrong with corruption.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92597/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />Rwanda’s example offers hope. It demonstrates the importance strong leadership and an unequivocal commitment to integrity and public accountability in shaping the attitudes and perceptions of youth.</p>
<p><em>This article was originally published on The Conversation.</em></p>


Survey of young people in east Africa shows their values mirror those of adults

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<p>Grace Mugabekazi, curator of the Kigali Hub joins CNBC Africa to speak on their expectations ahead of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.</p>


Kigali Global Shapers’ Grace Mugabekazi on importance of attending WEF

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<p>CNBC Africa is joined by Grace Mugabekazi, curator of the Kigali Hub for an update on their campaign to remove visa requirements for Africans across the continent.</p>


Progress made so far on Rwandan youth’s push for visa-free Africa

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<p>While the youth constitute a bigger number of Rwanda’s population, studies indicate that only 5 per cent of them understand the Sustainable Development Goals. How can youth participation in implementation be accelerated.</p>


Success of the SDGs depends on youth engagement

<p><em>Zandre Campos | ABO Capital</em></p>
<p>The history of the African continent is long and complicated and it has impacted the current generation of Africans. Today, many Africans tend to have a very negative mentality. Despite the fact that Africa has a growing consumer market, a rapid evolution in technology, and robust growth prospects, people still tend to focus on the negative.</p>
<p>In order for Africa to become a global leader, the mindset of its inhabitants needs to change. Positive attitudes help maximize performance and often have a ripple effect on others. African’s need to stop focusing on the destructive history of the continent and the undesirable elements that still remain. Instead they need to focus on the aspects that make Africa the great place it is and the will help move the continent forward.</p>
<p><strong>Diversification</strong></p>
<p>The oil crisis has forced the oil-producing countries to face some serious financial difficulties. But, it also forced them to look into different forms of revenue and diversify their economies. There are several industries in Africa that can be developed and help propel growth including tourism, healthcare, industrialization and agriculture. The decreased oil prices are the motivation countries need to push Africa to the top of the global economy.</p>
<p><strong>New Leadership</strong></p>
<p>People are often afraid of change, but it can be a good thing. New leadership can infuse countries with the motivation needed to move forward. Angola recently elected a new President after 38 years, and instead of focusing on the constructive impact the new leader may have, Angolans are reluctant and doubtful that it will bring any positive change. The new president, João Lourenço, is 63 and younger than Angola’s previous president and many other African presidents. Lourenço has been involved in the political environment, but avoided corruption scandals, and has enough experience to bring Angola and Africa to the next level. He can help Angola continue to follow the growth path it has been on. A younger president is good for a country because they look at problems in different ways and bring a level of freshness to the position. Angolans should consider that a new leader will help rejuvenate the country and improve the economic condition.</p>
<p><strong>Growing, Young Population</strong></p>
<p>While the rest of the world is aging, Africa is young. <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ng/Documents/consumer-business/the-deloitte-consumer-review-africa-a-21st-century-view.pdf">Deloitte</a> found that 20% of the population, or some 200 million people, are between the ages of 15 and 24, and that figure is expected to rise to 321 million by 2030. A working-age population is associated with favorable rates of GDP growth and Africa is expected to have the world’s largest working-age population of 1.1 billion people by 2034, according to the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/05/what-s-the-future-of-economic-growth-in-africa/">World Economic Forum</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Urban Expansion</strong></p>
<p>Over the next decade, 187 million Africans will live in cities where productivity is three times higher than in rural areas. Past urban expansion led to increased household and business consumption. Between 2010 and 2015 household consumption grew faster than the continent’s GDP growth rate. Consumers are expected to continue spending more money and urbanizing which helps diversify and strengthen economies.</p>
<p><strong>African Entrepreneurialism</strong></p>
<p>The entrepreneurial spirit in Africa is booming. Because of the massive job losses following the Great Recession, many Africans returned home and developed an entrepreneurial spirit because of the lack of native jobs. Entrepreneurism is high in Rwanda, where businesses can be started in 48 hours, compared to other countries where it takes an average of 11.1 days. Rwanda’s economy was paralyzed after the Genocide, but their GDP is expected to rise 7.5% this year alone, according to <a href="http://eng.imirasire.com/Report/article/rwanda-ranked-the-6th-with-the">Imirasire.com</a>.</p>
<p>Europe and several other continents have histories that are full of strife. Germany currently has the strongest economy in Europe, but that was not the case following WWII and the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Germany and other countries and continents have been able to leave the past behind and move forward and there are several reasons for Africans to do the same. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects associated with the continent’s history, Africans should look forward and focus on all the reasons the continent will prosper. Changing mentalities is necessary to achieve a complete economic transformation. When the mentality is changed, Africa will flourish and impact the world.</p>


Op-Ed: Change an African’s Mentality, Change the Continent

<p>By: Mary-Jean Nleya *</p>
<p>The 72<sup>nd</sup> United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) kicked off today at the UN Headquarters in New York City. A lot of world and international issues are on the table for debate, discussion, and clarification.</p>
<p>The leader of the free world, President Donald Trump, is set to take the world stage on Tuesday, September 19<sup>th</sup> – and the international community awaits to hear the clarification over some of the rhetoric he conveyed, both pre-and post his presidency, concerning the UN.</p>
<p>Among the other international issues to be addressed, is around the human rights concerns over the Rohingya crises in Myanmar. Many local and youth-focused issues are also sure to be given due regard.</p>
<p>On the morning of Saturday, September 16<sup>th</sup> 2017, two Nigeria youths were interviewed in the community of Agodo in Lagos. The purpose of the interview was to put a human face on the youth unemployment statistics, as well as to get a grassroots understanding of the circumstances that the youth face and their views on what they expect from the meeting of world leaders, one of whom will be their own country’s president, at the UN. Below is an excerpt from the interview – condensed for clarity.</p>
<p>Q: What is your name and how old are you?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: My name is Aanuoluwapo. I am 28 years old.</p>
<p>Efemena: I am Efemena and I am 26 years old.</p>
<p>Q: What is your educational level and are you currently employed?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and I am unemployed. It has been difficult to get a permanent job after graduating.</p>
<p>Efemena: I have a BSc in Mathematics from Covenant University in Ogun State. I am looking for a job. To keep myself busy, I teach secondary school students Math. It is part-time and temporary. They pay me some little money; it is too small to even sustain me.</p>
<p>Q: Have you made attempts to secure a job? If so, at what kind of companies? And if not, why?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: I have tried everything. I see job postings online – I visit online job seeking sites. I apply. They call me for interviews, but when you get to the interviews – you see that the employers are looking for just one person and there are thousands of applicants who pitch up. I apply to both big and small companies – but it is the same: there are just too few jobs available for the number of graduates and applicants – unemployment levels are high in this country. I applied for a training programme at Shell; I did not get it.</p>
<p>Efemena: I want to be a teacher. I have applied for jobs, even at the school I am doing part-time teaching at, they don’t have a permanent opening where they can place me. That is why they can only allow me to teach part-time for small money.</p>
<p>Q: Aanu, what do you do to sustain yourself and keep yourself busy?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: I am an IT person – so I look for small IT business opportunities – like to design logos for people. This is just to sustain myself.</p>
<p>Q: Is it like a business?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: No. It’s not a business – it is just what I do sometimes to sustain myself. It will be difficult to do logo designing as a business because I will be competing with big established companies. To get a big hit is hard in IT.</p>
<p>Q: Aanu, Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg was in Nigeria in September last year [2016] to offer support to Nigeria’s youth in IT. What did him coming to Nigeria do for you and others like you? And in what ways can practical and relevant support be offered for people like you?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: Mark Zuckerberg came here to Nigeria to try and close the bridge. He signed some contracts and if something comes out of those contracts that he signed – Nigerian youth will somehow gain from it. As for me and what I gained, all I can say is that he came and he went. It was inspiring to learn that there are some Nigerian programmers employed by Facebook and that some of his senior staff in Facebook are Nigerian.</p>
<p>Q: Efemena, are you entrepreneurial?</p>
<p>Efemena: Anyone can be entrepreneurial. You don’t need education to be entrepreneurial. But I don’t want to start my own business. I want to continue with teaching – it is only that the pay is small, but I like to teach – I want to teach Mathematics.</p>
<p>Q: But with no jobs currently available what are your immediate plans?</p>
<p>Efemena: I hope to get funding to enroll for a Master’s degree and continue to look for a permanent job.</p>
<p>Q: What are your views on continuing education – do you know of any free online courses, e.g. EdX and others? Are these kinds of online programmes and tools even relevant and helpful for you?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: I have enrolled for one online course on Alison.com. The only thing these online courses can do is put someone at some kind of competitive-edge because they are knowledge-based.</p>
<p>Efemena: I registered for EdX to get tutorials. Online courses can only educate – maybe it is helpful in that way. But it is not helpful to get a person a job.</p>
<p>Q: Do you think the government is doing enough to offer young unemployed Nigerians support?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: The Nigerian government is doing the bit that they could. There are unemployment schemes, they also offer graduates short-term loans.</p>
<p>Q: Have you applied for any of the government-offered programmes?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: Yes. I have applied for the schemes. The process ended last month.</p>
<p>Efemena: All I can say is that the government can do much more.</p>
<p>Q: Next week the United Nations will have its 72<sup>nd</sup> General Assembly. What can you say about these kinds of gatherings by world leaders including the leader of your own nation, Nigeria? What is your message to them?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: The UN is involved in youth empowerment initiatives and I appreciate those initiatives as a Nigerian youth.</p>
<p>Efemena: The UN should assist the Nigerian government in getting ways to create employment opportunities in this country.</p>
<p>Q: Any final words?</p>
<p>Aanuoluwapo: I am not discouraged. This phase is something for me to face and go through.</p>
<p>Efemena: I just have to keep pressing and I hope to one day inspire my students in the classroom.</p>
<p>The interview is a snapshot of the views of some Nigerian youth, who form part of the youth on the continent of Africa – the young continent. While the interviewed youth are hopeful and are taking positive strides to alleviate the discomfort of their current social and economic situation; some youth engage themselves in illicit activities and vices.</p>
<p>With the automation of different industries and the current employment deficit, one wonders whether today’s youth are being prepared for the jobs of the future and what can be done about it. These are some of the issues that require attention today and there is no better time to highlight this, than on the heels of the official commencement of the 72<sup>nd</sup> UNGA.</p>
<p>As leaders of different countries and organizations convene in New York City, let us ask the right questions and pay attention to the challenges of today to ensure that in 2030 no one is left behind.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>* Mary-Jean Nleya is the founder and editor of <a href="http://www.theglobalcommunique.com/">The Global Communiqué</a>. Mary-Jean is attending the SDG Media Zone at the 72<sup>nd </sup>United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City and will be covering the event.</p>


Grassroots reporting on youth issues on the eve of the 72nd UNGA

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<p>By Mary-Jean Nleya*</p>
<p>Africa is considered the youngest continent. In 2016, the World Economic Forum <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/05/the-world-s-10-youngest-countries-are-all-in-africa/">indicated</a> that the “world’s 10 youngest populations are all in Africa”. This youth bulge on the African continent should be harnessed positively to avoid a Malthusian disaster, given that food and agricultural production on the African continent is yet to be maximized.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/how-significant-could-africas-demographic-dividend-be-for-growth-and-poverty-reduction">World Bank</a> the youthfulness of the African continent could potentially yield an 11 to 15 percent growth in GDP in the African continent between 2011 – 2030.</p>
<p><strong>The UN recognises the importance of youth participation </strong></p>
<p>The United Nations (UN) has in past years recognised the importance of youth in both the social and economic development of their countries. In 1984, the General Assembly of the UN adopted Resolution <a href="http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/39/a39r022.htm">39/22</a> . It was decided to dedicate the year 1985 to young people by naming it ‘International Youth Year’. This was in recognition of the significance direct participation of youth would have on the “future of mankind”.</p>
<p>Yet, there was little action to back that ‘recognition’ of the capacity of youth. It is only in recent years that active strides have been made to support and empower youth to be change-makers in their respective countries and in the world.</p>
<p>In 1996 Resolution <a href="http://undocs.org/A/RES/50/81">50/81</a> titled ‘World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond’ was adopted by the General Assembly of the UN. This resolution recognised that “young people in all countries are both a major human resource for development and key agents of social change, economic development and technological innovation”, the resolution also acknowledged that young people aspire to be active participants in the shaping of their societies.</p>
<p><strong>Opportunities and enabling environments for youth</strong></p>
<p>Again in 2008, Resolution <a href="http://undocs.org/A/RES/62/126">62/126</a> was adopted to support youth and one of the proposals of action was for governments to provide opportunities for the youth, and create enabling environments whereby young people will be able to enjoy the prospect of employability and skills development.</p>
<p>This particular resolution highlighted the fact that young people in developing countries should especially be provided with greater protections and opportunities because some of them were trapped in poverty and “remain marginalized from the global economy and lack the capabilities to access the opportunities that globalization has to offer”.</p>
<p><strong><em>Youth &amp; scalable solutions to the SDGs </em></strong></p>
<p>These UN Resolutions, spanning different years, have significantly shone a light on the importance of youth participation in global affairs and the importance for such youth to be empowered and supported.</p>
<p>Now, Unleash Lab 2017 has taken it a step further to provide a testing ground in the form of a ‘lab’ for bright young people from all over the world to test their own ideas in Denmark from 12 to 23 August 2017 – in an effort to stimulate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</p>
<p>The selected young people, attending and participating in the Unleash Lab 2017, are referred to as <a href="https://unleash.org/sdg-talents/">SDG Talents</a>. They include entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, academics, media practitioners and others. The young SDG Talents will work on various tasks in different sectors or themes such<a href="https://unleash.org/innovation-lab-2017/"> as</a> access to clean water, food production and preservation, access to clean energy and renewable energy, sustainable production and consumption, access to education and ICT, urban sustainability and urban planning, health and medical supply chains.</p>
<p>Unleash Lab 2017, has been dubbed an<em> Event for the Sustainable Development Goals. </em>This entire programme will <a href="https://unleash.org/innovation-lab-2017/">culminate</a> into The Unleash Awards Show where scalable SDG solutions tailored by the SDG Talents will be presented before various thought leaders and experts.</p>
<p>The World Economic Forum in Davos came and went; The G20 Summit in Hamburg came and went; now it is time for UNLEASH Lab 2017 in Denmark to make its mark – the UN’s past resolutions on youth participation is put into action this August in Denmark. Let’s wait and see what scalable solutions to the SDGs the young talents will come up with – this is harnessing the capabilities of the youth in the future of mankind.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>*Mary-Jean Nleya is the founder and editor of <a href="http://www.theglobalcommunique.com/conversations-with-prominent-figures/">The Global Communiqué </a>. She has been selected as an SDG Talent to attend the UNLEASH Lab 2017 in Denmark.  </em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


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