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<p>Basketball is the second most popular sport in Africa. The NBA is focused on growing the game across the continent by making it more accessible for both players and fans. Ahead of the second NBA game on African soil, which takes place this weekend, Amadou Gall Fall, VP of the NBA &amp; MD Africa spoke with CNBC Africa about the continent’s incredible talent pool.</p>


NBA aims to grow game, readies for match in Africa

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<p>This year&#8217;s Africa Innovation Summit will focus on Investing in Innovation for the continents youth. And what better way to engage young people than through sports like basketball.</p>


Engaging youth through sports

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<p>In just a matter of days, Rwanda launches its flagship summit to unleash Africa’s youth potential. Dubbed “YouthConnekt Africa”, mandate includes, among others, creation of 10 million jobs by 2020 in sustainable job environments in emerging industries. Joining CNBC Africa for more anticipated from the event is Hon. Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Rwanda&#8217;s Minister for Youth and ICT.</p>


Role of Africa’s youth in development

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<p>Metair announced today that through its wholly owned subsidiaries, it has concluded an acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in Akkumulatorenfabrik Moll GmbH &#038; Co. in Bad Staffelstein, Germany. The Acquisition is worth 7.4 million Euros.</p>


Metair acquires 25% stake in German’s Akkumulatorenfabrik Moll

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<p>This year in November, Sao Paulo- Brazil will host the 5th Brazil Africa forum- which is a platform for exchange of business ideas and how best to harness world best practices. The forum also hosts a youth technical training programme.</p>


5th Brazil Africa forum to focus on youth work

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<p>Big business hold the key to ensuring the most effective way of supporting growth of an economy through the development of young people&#8217;s entrepreneurial skills. Sibani Mngomezulu, Executive Corporate Affairs at Barloworld joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Developing the next generation of entrepreneurs

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Just five years ago the annual Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Youth Survey highlighted a society that was upbeat about the future and their career prospects. Back then 74% of learners felt SA was a good place to have a successful career. In 2017, just 53% of respondents said they planned to build a future in the country. The about turn is a consequence of political infighting, ratings downgrades, the recent news that South Africa has slipped into recession and an unemployment rate of 27.7%. At the present moment, South Africans under the age of 25 who account for 51.5% of the population are hardest hit by unemployment.</p>
<p>The survey, conducted annually as part of the GIBS CareerExpo, polls 2500 Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners on a variety of subjects, from politics, race, career opportunities, the history of the country and the quality of the education system. While the racial demographics of the respondents broadly matched those of the country as a whole, the survey comprised 68% female respondents.</p>
<p>While the class of 2012 largely believed that South Africa would be a better place to work when they entered the job market in 2016 and 80% looked forward to a great life in the country, the learners of 2017 felt less prepared and certainly less confident. Only 56% felt that the quality of their school education was adequately preparing them for either the world of work or for tertiary studies. A more positive 64% had faith in the country’s tertiary education system to set them up for the future.</p>
<p>Encouragingly 64% of respondents believed they were able to influence the future of the country, a statistic which highlights the youth’s strong desire to make a difference. However, unlike 2015 when a whopping 75% of respondents felt that political engagement could be an effective tool to bring about change, only 53% of 2017 learners held this view.</p>
<p>Whether or not this indicates disillusionment with the current state of politics in the country is a topic worth exploring further, but it certainly was not the case that the class of 2017 was politically unaware. In fact, 61% felt that “everyone should pay attention to South Africa politics” and 60% said they were engaging in discussions on political issues with peers or family members (up from 38% in 2015). In fact, 60% of respondents said they discussed politics at least twice a week and 46% claimed to access political information more than three times per week.</p>
<p>While South Africa’s youth appear to be politically aware, the same cannot be said of their grasp of the past. While 70% of respondents agreed that democracy had a positive effect on their lives, their knowledge of the road taken to get to this point in South Africa’s history was littered with holes. Most (70%) of students did not know that Thabo Mbeki, not Jacob Zuma, was not a prisoner on Robben Island and 67% thought the Constitution was adopted in 1994, not 1996.</p>
<p>That said, 57% of respondents did feel that South Africa’s current reality was directly linked to the past and 61% said history was an important subject in the school curriculum.</p>
<p>Commenting on the results, Abdullah Verachia, GIBS’s Executive Director for the Centre for Leadership and Dialogue (CL&amp;D), emphasised the importance of engaging with the youth about the history of the country, the role of nation building, and what this might mean for their futures. “These are the future leaders of our country,” he said. “It is up to us all to share our lessons and learnings, to take time to listen and engage. Our youth is a barometer of sentiment in South Africa. Listening to them can only strengthen the pipeline of future talent and ensure a robust future for our country.”</p>
<p>The GIBS CareerExpo is a GIBS CL&amp;D initiative, which is run in conjunction with telecommunications firm MTN. It targets high-achieving learners from non-fee paying, inner city and township schools to former model C and private schools around Gauteng.</p>


Youth Optimism dashed by political, economic uncertainty: GIBS Youth Survey

<p>Brian Roberts | CNBC Contributor</p>
<p>Millennials don&#8217;t have it like the boomer generation.</p>
<p>Compared to our predecessors, the cost of living is higher, taxes are higher and decent paying jobs are scarcer. Without the basics covered, it&#8217;s that much harder for millennials to land ― let alone excel in ― leadership roles.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s hard to want to put in extra effort at the office when you&#8217;re feeling undervalued. For millennials who feel caged by constraints like this, the solution may be a lot simpler than you think: Pack your bags<i>.</i></p>
<p>That&#8217;s right. Move.</p>
<p><a class="inline_asset" href="http://growella.com/" target="_self">Growella</a>, a media site that helps millennials make smart money, career and lifestyle choices, conducted a comprehensive study on the <a class="inline_asset" href="https://growella.com/working/top-ranked-cities-for-millennials/" target="_self">best cities for millennials</a> in the U.S. The cities were ranked by pulling data from more than 70 public, available resources.</p>
<p>They looked at everything from availability of entry-level jobs to take home pay and more. Ultimately, the study boiled down to answering this question: Is it possible to earn a living, have a life and still set aside money for your future? And if so, where?</p>
<p>For instance, New York City wages are higher compared to a lot of places, but net income ― what you take home ― isn&#8217;t.</p>
<p>&#8220;What you make isn&#8217;t always &#8216;what you make.&#8217; Favorable tax rates and a low cost of living can be the great equalizer in some cities,&#8221; says Dan Green, the founder and CEO of Growella.</p>
<p>In short: Cities with greater career opportunities and less expenses might afford millennials opportunities they crave. These include the ability to focus on bigger goals and become leaders in fields they&#8217;re passionate about.</p>
<p>&#8220;Each of the top five has a character and prevailing industry, from technology and robotics to finance and other fields,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>According to the study, these are the top five cities for millennials and their prevailing industries:</p>
<h2 class="subtitle">1. Durham, North Carolina</h2>
<div id="attachment_123649" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123649" class="size-full wp-image-123649" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Durham.600x400.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /><p id="caption-attachment-123649" class="wp-caption-text">Barry Winiker | Getty Images<br />An office complex in Durham, North Carolina</p></div>
<p><strong>Industries:</strong> Life sciences and IT</p>
<p>For millennials with leadership aspirations in the life sciences or IT sector, go to Durham. The city is home to Duke University and Research Triangle Park, a preeminent high-tech research hub. Plus, with over 100,000 residents between the ages of 18 to 34, there&#8217;s no shortage of other ambitious millennials to connect with.</p>
<h2 class="subtitle">2. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</h2>
<div id="attachment_123674" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123674" class="size-full wp-image-123674" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/104460422-Pittsburg.600x400.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /><p id="caption-attachment-123674" class="wp-caption-text">Danita Delmont | Getty Images</p></div>
<p><strong>Industries:</strong> Tech and robotics</p>
<p>When people first think of Pittsburgh, they think of steel. But the &#8216;Steel City&#8217;, once known as a vibrant steel manufacturing city, is now buzzing with &#8220;technology and robotics&#8221; according to Dan Green. Ambitious millennials will also love Pittsburgh for it&#8217;s rich art and cultural scene, and with over 346,400 people between the ages of 18 to 34 in Pittsburgh, there&#8217;s no shortage of folks to enjoy it with.</p>
<h2 class="subtitle">3. Nashville, Tennessee</h2>
<div id="attachment_123675" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123675" class="size-full wp-image-123675" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/104460390-Nashville.600x400.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /><p id="caption-attachment-123675" class="wp-caption-text">Danita Delmont | Getty Images<br />The Nashville, Tennessee skyline</p></div>
<p><strong>Industries:</strong> Healthcare and publishing</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re looking to make a name for yourself in healthcare, publishing ― and we can&#8217;t forget music ― then Nashville may be the place for you. Having just spent a week there with other young professionals, I can attest to the opportunities Nashville has for anyone looking to make a name, regardless of the industry. Although you may know it as &#8220;Music City&#8221; my one Lyft driver referred to it as &#8220;Crane City&#8221; due to the sheer number of cranes dotting the skyline, office buildings and apartments.</p>
<h2 class="subtitle">4. Des Moines, Iowa</h2>
<div id="attachment_123676" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123676" class="size-full wp-image-123676" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/104460374-Des_Moines.600x400.png" alt="" width="600" height="400" /><p id="caption-attachment-123676" class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Woodhouse | Getty Images<br />The Des Moines, Iowa skyline</p></div>
<p><strong>Industry:</strong> Insurance</p>
<p>This city, although not as popular as the other names on this list, is one of the best places for leaders in America. Business costs are far below the national average, and it&#8217;s been a hotbed of economic growth since 2010. Insurance is a key industry here.</p>
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<p>Millennials don&#8217;t have it like the boomer generation.</p>
<p>Compared to our predecessors, the cost of living is higher, taxes are higher and decent paying jobs are scarcer. Without the basics covered, it&#8217;s that much harder for millennials to land ― let alone excel in ― leadership roles.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s hard to want to put in extra effort at the office when you&#8217;re feeling undervalued. For millennials who feel caged by constraints like this, the solution may be a lot simpler than you think: Pack your bags<i>.</i></p>
<div id="inline_movable_ad"></div>
<p>That&#8217;s right. Move.</p>
<p><a class="inline_asset" href="http://growella.com/" target="_self">Growella</a>, a media site that helps millennials make smart money, career and lifestyle choices, conducted a comprehensive study on the <a class="inline_asset" href="https://growella.com/working/top-ranked-cities-for-millennials/" target="_self">best cities for millennials</a> in the U.S. The cities were ranked by pulling data from more than 70 public, available resources.</p>
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<p><span class="video-icon"><a class="" href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000603143" data-videoid="3000603143" data-videotype=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" title="Professionals in these cities take home the most money after rent and taxes" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2017/03/21/104354743-makeit_cities_disposable_income_after_rent_taxes_mezz.600x400.jpg?v=1490104745" alt="Professionals in these cities take home the most money after rent and taxes" width="600" height="400" /></a></span></p>
<div class="headline">Professionals in these cities take home the most money after rent and taxes</div>
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<p>They looked at everything from availability of entry-level jobs to take home pay and more. Ultimately, the study boiled down to answering this question: Is it possible to earn a living, have a life and still set aside money for your future? And if so, where?</p>
<p>For instance, New York City wages are higher compared to a lot of places, but net income ― what you take home ― isn&#8217;t.</p>
<p>&#8220;What you make isn&#8217;t always &#8216;what you make.&#8217; Favorable tax rates and a low cost of living can be the great equalizer in some cities,&#8221; says Dan Green, the founder and CEO of Growella.</p>
<p>In short: Cities with greater career opportunities and less expenses might afford millennials opportunities they crave. These include the ability to focus on bigger goals and become leaders in fields they&#8217;re passionate about.</p>
<p>&#8220;Each of the top five has a character and prevailing industry, from technology and robotics to finance and other fields,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>According to the study, these are the top five cities for millennials and their prevailing industries:</p>
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<h4 class="subtitle">1. Durham, North Carolina</h4>
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<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2017/05/10/104460386-Durham.600x400.jpg?v=1494423377" alt="An office complex in Durham, North Carolina" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<div class="attribution">Barry Winiker | Getty Images</div>
<div class="caption">An office complex in Durham, North Carolina</div>
</div>
<div class="group">
<p><strong>Industries:</strong> Life sciences and IT</p>
<p>For millennials with leadership aspirations in the life sciences or IT sector, go to Durham. The city is home to Duke University and Research Triangle Park, a preeminent high-tech research hub. Plus, with over 100,000 residents between the ages of 18 to 34, there&#8217;s no shortage of other ambitious millennials to connect with.</p>
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<h4 class="subtitle">2. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</h4>
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<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2017/05/10/104460422-Pittsburg.600x400.jpg?v=1494424090" alt="586905657" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<div class="attribution">Danita Delmont | Getty Images</div>
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<p><strong>Industries:</strong> Tech and robotics</p>
<p>When people first think of Pittsburgh, they think of steel. But the &#8216;Steel City&#8217;, once known as a vibrant steel manufacturing city, is now buzzing with &#8220;technology and robotics&#8221; according to Dan Green. Ambitious millennials will also love Pittsburgh for it&#8217;s rich art and cultural scene, and with over 346,400 people between the ages of 18 to 34 in Pittsburgh, there&#8217;s no shortage of folks to enjoy it with.</p>
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<h4 class="subtitle">3. Nashville, Tennessee</h4>
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<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2017/05/10/104460390-Nashville.600x400.jpg?v=1494423568" alt="The Nashville, Tennessee skyline" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<div class="attribution">Danita Delmont | Getty Images</div>
<div class="caption">The Nashville, Tennessee skyline</div>
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<div class="group">
<p><strong>Industries:</strong> Healthcare and publishing</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re looking to make a name for yourself in healthcare, publishing ― and we can&#8217;t forget music ― then Nashville may be the place for you. Having just spent a week there with other young professionals, I can attest to the opportunities Nashville has for anyone looking to make a name, regardless of the industry. Although you may know it as &#8220;Music City&#8221; my one Lyft driver referred to it as &#8220;Crane City&#8221; due to the sheer number of cranes dotting the skyline, office buildings and apartments.</p>
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<h4 class="subtitle">4. Des Moines, Iowa</h4>
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<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2017/05/10/104460374-Des_Moines.600x400.png?v=1494423113" alt="The Des Moines, Iowa skyline" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<div class="attribution">Jeremy Woodhouse | Getty Images</div>
<div class="caption">The Des Moines, Iowa skyline</div>
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<p><strong>Industry:</strong> Insurance</p>
<p>This city, although not as popular as the other names on this list, is one of the best places for leaders in America. Business costs are far below the national average, and it&#8217;s been a hotbed of economic growth since 2010. Insurance is a key industry here.</p>
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<h4 class="subtitle">5. Charlotte, North Carolina</h4>
<div id="attachment_123677" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123677" class="size-full wp-image-123677" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/104460361-Charlotte.600x400.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /><p id="caption-attachment-123677" class="wp-caption-text">Walter Bibikow | Getty Images</p></div>
<p><strong>Industry:</strong> Finance</p>
<p>When you think of finance, you probably think of Wall Street, but you should probably be thinking about the city of Charlotte instead. Boasting almost 300,000 people between the ages of 18 to 34, it&#8217;s the second largest banking center in the United States and the perfect place for millennials looking to rise the financial ranks.</p>
<p>Check out the full list <a class="inline_asset" title="https://growella.com/working/top-ranked-cities-for-millennials/" href="https://growella.com/working/top-ranked-cities-for-millennials/" target="_self">here</a>.</p>
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The 5 best cities for millennials to start their careers

<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>By 2040, Africa is expected to have the largest workforce in the world, 40% of which will consist of young people.</strong></em></p>
<p>Africa’s greatest resource and potentially its sharpest competitive advantage in the global economy is its young and growing workforce. Half of Africa’s population is under 25 years of age. By 2040, Africa is expected to have the largest workforce in the world, 40% of which will consist of young people.</p>
<p>But the economic growth the continent has enjoyed in recent years has not created enough opportunities for its young people to use their talents to earn sustainable livelihoods. Unless young people are given the chance to access the right education and training, or employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, Africa’s development potential will not be realised in full; and its young people may become a source of social and political instability.</p>
<p>Africa has 600 million young people, of which 72% are unemployed or vulnerably employed. Another 11 million youth are expected to enter the African labour market every year for the next decade, according to the Mastercard Foundation.</p>
<p>Representatives at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa have been set the challenge of finding ways of achieving inclusive growth, particularly for young people. There will, for example, be a panel discussion, “Leading for the Future”, that will focus on “How can the world’s youngest continent exploit this endowment to build a new generation of leaders capable of driving success in the Fourth Industrial Revolution?”</p>
<p>At Barclays Africa, we believe some of the answers lie in our philosophy of Shared Growth, a recognition that we must use our expertise and resources to find sustainable, commercially viable solutions to the challenges of inequality, poverty and unemployment. Shared Growth initiatives focus on education, enterprise development and financial inclusion.</p>
<p>We have chosen these three pillars because they are critical to human development. Young people need skills that enable them to secure their future; entrepreneurs need access to opportunity, skills training and capital in order to grow their businesses, create employment and grow the economy; and people need access to reliable and affordable financial services and products. These are areas where we can help improve lives and fulfil our principle of stewardship – leaving the communities where we operate better than when we found them.</p>
<p>We have set ourselves a specific objective of preparing young people across the continent with the requisite skills to be competitive in the workplace. Our ReadytoWork programme provides them with free education and training programmes, online and in workshops, with accredited institutions.</p>
<p>So far, the programme has been rolled out to nine countries and helped equip 205 366 young people with people, money management and entrepreneurial skills.</p>
<p>ReadytoWork seeks to address the challenges under discussion at the WEF meeting on Africa which include reinventing job-ready training, advancing digital fluency and other key skills, and reforming education and training systems. In addition to ReadytoWork, Barclays Africa is investing</p>
<p>R1.4bn in education over the next 3 years. Between 2016 and 2018 we will have provided over half a billion rand in university scholarships across all our markets, providing opportunities to thousands of deserving students.</p>
<p>While many of the key pieces are in place, government, business leaders and educators need to work together to set out a shared vision and the necessary policies and programmes to prepare African youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and ensure their competitive advantages become sustainable livelihoods. In its draft June 2016 strategy document, the African Capacity Building Foundation cites a study on the capacities needed to implement the African Union’s Agenda 2063 development plan, which says that Africa has a projected gap of as many as 4.3 million engineers and 1.6 million agricultural scientists and researchers. In most African countries, the gap between the actual number of professionals in critical technical areas and the minimum required number is as high as 70%.</p>
<p>Until there is a better match between the needs of the economy and young people’s skills, they will continue to struggle to find jobs. Enterprise Development is critical to employment creation and economic growth. It is therefore imperative to build a culture of entrepreneurship and to support the development of small businesses and their integration into the African market. Almost half the labour force in Africa is employed by small businesses. These businesses are especially important in low-income communities, where they provide informal work to those who lack the qualifications or experience to secure formal employment.</p>
<p>Small businesses also help diversify economies away from reliance on a single commodity, making them more resilient in the face of economic headwinds, and help broaden the national tax base.</p>
<p>Our Shared Growth enterprise development programmes not only offer entrepreneurs business support and training, but also access to markets, without which they cannot succeed.</p>
<p>As a financial institution we are in a unique position to connect small businesses with large corporates. We have created a portal that links 59 000 small and medium enterprises to 7 000 corporate buyers where last year over R30 billion worth of tenders was advertised. Last year we agreed to R1.38 billion worth of mandates for SMEs who are doing business with corporate partners and provided training to thousands of SMEs.</p>
<p>The last pillar of Shared Growth is providing access to financial services, an important means of facilitating economic activity. Technology has reduced the cost of providing banking services. New digital platforms are being designed for those who – until now – have not had access to formal financial services. Already we have a network of 10 013 ATM’s across the continent and are constantly expanding our network of branches and service points.</p>
<p>In its 2017 Inclusive Growth and Development Report, the WEF observes: “A coordinated global initiative is required to transform inclusive growth from aspiration into action – into a new global growth agenda that places people and living standards at the center of national economic policy and international economic integration.”</p>
<p>At Barclays Africa, we believe our Shared Growth philosophy goes a long way to achieving this. We look forward to continue collaborating with governments, our corporate partners, communities and other stakeholders to create more opportunities for inclusion and to grow the African economy.</p>


Encouraging youth economic participation through Shared Growth

<p>Dakar, Senegal, (ECA) – It is imperative for African governments to adopt coherent strategies and national development plans that address the continent’s challenges of growth, inequality, and unemployment, Economic Commission for Africa’s deputy Executive Secretary, Giovanne Biha, said Thursday.</p>
<p>Ms. Biha said this in her opening speech to the Tenth Joint Annual Meetings of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.</p>
<p>“The absence of decent jobs for young Africans has fuelled outward migration, both within and from Africa resulting in tragic loss of lives as young people attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea in search of greener pastures.”</p>
<p>Ms. Biha said since this year is the year of harnessing Africa’s demographic dividend through investment in the youth, more needs to be done by all stakeholders to promote investment in job creation and human capital development.</p>
<p>“It is the imperative for African countries to adopt coherent strategies and national development plans that promote structural transformation and address the challenges of growth, inequality and unemployment within the context of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development<strong>,” </strong>she said.</p>
<p>Ms. Biha noted that discussions on unemployment in Africa were not new, adding it was now time for action on the ground.</p>
<p>African Union Commission’s Economic Affairs Commissioner, Anthony Mothae Maruping, said it was symbolic that the meeting was taking place in Senegal, where Africans were forcibly taken to work as slaves in America and Europe.</p>
<p>“We are in the right place to come up and work on strategies to make sure our young people don’t voluntarily and involuntarily leave the continent to look for opportunities elsewhere,” said Mr. Maruping, adding growth on the continent so far has not been inclusive.</p>
<p>“We need to grow Africa. The time to do so is now,” he said, adding Agenda 2063 is seeking to achieve accelerated, stable, inclusive and real economic job-creating growth in Africa. Mr. Maruping said no form of poverty was acceptable as he urged the continent to work hard to eradicate all inequalities.</p>
<p>He said Africa is clear on what needs to be done as it deals with challenges it is facing on the ground, in particular spurring economic growth that positively impacts everyone.</p>
<p>“Africa knows what to do, how to do it, with what and when to do it as we target this growth and inequality,” said Mr. Maruping. “We really want to transform our economies, raise our productivity, promote integration and trade and all.”</p>
<p>Senegal’s Budget Minister, Birima Mangara, in his welcome address to the meeting of experts said his country was doing all it can to structurally transform its economy for the benefit of every citizen.</p>
<p>He said inequalities and youth unemployment were being tackled as well as other related problems that lead to poverty, adding youth and women on the continent should be prioritized in job creation.</p>
<p>Mr. Mangara lauded the ECA, the AUC and their partners for convening a meeting to specifically tackle growth, inequalities and unemployment on the continent.</p>
<p>“It is these meetings which serve as outstanding platforms to discuss Africa’s problems,” he said. “I’m convinced that the debates will lead to very important recommendations that are important for the future development of our dear Africa.”</p>
<p>The Tenth Joint Annual Meetings will deliberate on the theme of “Growth, inequality and unemployment”.</p>
<p>The conference will explore measures for reducing inequality and extreme poverty on the continent in order to achieve the targets of the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan (2013-2023) of Agenda 2063 and the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, among other issues.</p>
<p>Among the high-level delegates present were the newly-elected African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, President of the office of the committee of experts, Lizenga Maluleka, representatives of UN agencies, the African Union Commission, African Development Bank and civil society.</p>


African Development Week: Emphasis on policies that cater for youth

<p>Thomson Reuters Foundation</p>
<p>Little or no access to education and healthcare, poor job prospects and low participation levels in politics make the Central African Republic the worst country in the world to be a young person, an index by a group representing Commonwealth countries showed.</p>
<p>Central African Republic has been plagued by inter-religious violence since 2013 when the mainly Muslim Seleka militia seized power, prompting reprisals from Christian anti-Balaka forces.</p>
<p>Despite a February election touted as a step toward reconciliation, violence is still frequent.</p>
<p>The index released by the Commonwealth Secretariat on Friday ranked 183 nations on employment, education, health and other prospects for people aged between 15 and 29.</p>
<p>Sub-Saharan Africa continued to have the lowest levels of youth development in the world, despite significant progress in the last five years, the index showed.</p>
<p>The 10 countries that score lowest on the index are all from sub-Saharan Africa – the only region where the size of its youth population has not peaked.</p>
<p>According to U.N. estimates, the number of youths globally will rise to 2 billion by 2060 from 1.8 billion in 2015, with most of that growth expected to in sub-Saharan Africa.</p>
<p>&#8220;While increases in civic and political participation – though voting or protests for example – in the region are encouraging, they will only get young people so far without corresponding improvements in access to health and education,&#8221; said Abhik Sen, one of the report&#8217;s authors.</p>
<p>&#8220;Deep inequalities in levels of youth development persist among countries worldwide,&#8221; he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview.</p>
<p>In North American and European countries, for example, nearly 100 percent of young people can read and write, compared with less than 40 percent in Niger and South Sudan.</p>
<p>Germany topped the index for youth development, followed by Denmark, Australia, Switzerland and Britain.</p>
<p>The report found that youth unemployment was a growing concern with young people at least twice as likely as adults to be jobless worldwide.</p>
<p>Matthew Hobson, a World Bank expert on social protection, said in the report that &#8220;global growth and poverty reduction over the next 20 years will be driven by today&#8217;s young people, yet many of them struggle to find productive employment.&#8221;</p>
<p>Sudanese billionaire philanthropist Mo Ibrahim said within three generations, 41 percent of the world&#8217;s youth will be Africans.</p>
<p>&#8220;That is a wonderful resource for our continent if it is skilled and employed,&#8221; he said in the report.﻿</p>
<p> </p>


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