At the heart of African youth, there are leaders who work tirelessly to promote development and international cooperation. One of them is Joel Kpare, Deputy Chairperson for International Affairs of the African Youth Union Commission (AYUC). In this exclusive interview, we will discover his journey, his challenges, and his ambitions for the future of African youth, particularly in the context of implementing the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your role as Deputy Chairperson for International Affairs of the AYUC?
I am Joel Kpare, a former country head of ayuc in Ghana. I studied telecommunications engineering at the university.
My role as the Deputy Chariperson in charge of International Affairs is to connect and popularize ayuc to the international community such as UN, UNDP, ECOSSOC, EU etc by partnering with these institutions to support our activities. We push for opportunities for young people to develop and grow.
I work closely with the other chairpersons and Secretary General to ensure that ayuc gets the visibility it needs in the international space.
For me, I want to concentrate on economic diplomacy because of the implementation of an aspect of the Agenada2063 called the Afcfta(African Continental Free Trade Area) which thankfully the headquarters is in Ghana. This ambitious initiative seeks to integrate the continent breaking colonial barriers and transacting business amongst ourselves in Africa.
Ayuc was founded by the youth and for the youth.
What is the role of the AYUC in promoting African youth, and how does your organization contribute to empowering young people in Africa?
At AYUC what we seek to do is mainstream African youths into the works of the African Union and seeing them at the forefront of Africas development. We continuously work to integrate youths into developmental projects that will enhance their leadership skills thereby preparing them for the politics of the future.
Aspiration 6 of the Agenda2063 speaks to youth and women as the catalyst of development within the continent. So the development and education of the African youths on agenda2063 is key
How does the AYUC work to integrate African youth into the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, particularly with regards to the sustainable development goals?
Support and provide opportunities for African youths to serve and gain professional skills, soft skills, international exposure and leadership skills.
We continuously support and and promote youth led initiatives and programs.
Also collaborate with country governments and international bodies in which AYUC has presence.
We partner with local organizations
We connect through social media
Agenda2063 speaks directly to Africa. It embodies the entire solutions to our problems.
So we constantly talk about African solutions to African problems.
How does the AYUC work with international organizations and governments to promote the interests of African youth and implement the Agenda 2063?
We work with other INGOs and governments by partnering with them to influence our positions and priorities. Within government we work closely with the ministry of foreign affairs.
We try as much as possible to connect with other youth organizations to promote our ideology while learning from them to improve our work.
The African youth is the future of the continent and so we encourage and promote leadership skills development.
Partnership is the key to connect with governments and other entities to support and promote our efforts of streamlining our work at the AYUC.
What is the role of diplomacy in promoting international cooperation and peace in Africa, particularly in the context of implementing the Agenda 2063?
Diplomacy has always been a necessary tool used to resolve conflict among nations. Diplomacy allows for compromise and agreements between parties.
Diplomacy has always promoted a decent environment for dialogue, consensus building and social cultural interactions.
Negotiation is a great aspect of diplomacy among nations or countries.
I acknowledge that Africa is saddled with conflicts especially in DRC, Cameroon, CAR etc. these conflicts can only be resolved with a comprehensive understanding of the situation and bringing and hearing all parties involved. We acknowledge the efforts this far to seek resolution of conflicts in these matters and the African Union and regional bodies can do more to bring lasting peace which will also enhance development.
No country and its citizens will thrive in conflicts. Peace is a prerequisite for development.
Sustainable development and education
How does the AYUC contribute to promoting sustainable development in Africa, particularly with regards to education and vocational training, and how does this fit into the implementation of the Agenda 2063?
Vocational training provides an alternative for a country’s social and economic development. It supports and enhances the skills of adults and even the young.
Education is like the basic human experience one should enjoy in order to learn and have personal development and contribute meaningfully to the human resource of a country..
A strong and robust educational system broadens access to opportunities and bolsters the resilience of a country. Sustainable development requires changes within how we do and invest and have capital as well as the way we govern ourselves and our actions.AYUC continues to empower the African Youth through our educational programs and conferences broaden and conscientize their minds to be aware of the sustainable development goals as they face the future head on.
What is the role of education in promoting economic growth and political stability in Africa, particularly in the context of implementing the Agenda 2063?
How does the AYUC work to integrate African youth into the implementation of the Agenda 2063, particularly with regards to the sustainable development goals?
What are the biggest challenges facing African youth in implementing the Agenda 2063, and how does the AYUC plan to overcome them?
War and instability
Unemployment and poverty
Governmental issues
For the first one, in countries and communities experiencing conflicts and instability, youths cannot grow and develop; their movements are restricted with curfews and so on. They only pray to survive.
Unemployment and and poverty is a great enemy facing the African youth. This canker is everywhere, a lot of young sharp minds have left the shores of Africa to seek greener pastures. This is a great disincentive to the gains we are supposed to make with regards to the development of youth in Africa. This has driven young people into criminals acts, drugs and alcoholism causing a lot of health problems to them.
The bureaucracy in the governmental system in Africa doesn’t give hope to the youth, they have practically given up.
At the AYUC, we continuously advocate for a more inclusive governance system where the voices of the youth is heard and taken into consideration. They should be encouraged to participate in national building.
What are the future prospects of the AYUC in promoting African youth and international cooperation in the context of implementing the Agenda 2063?
The future is bright and looks promising for the African youth with the AYUC as the spine of the African youth.
We have a new leadership in ayuc and everyone is working round the clock to ensure a more workable African youth.
We continuously look for new opportunities to partner international organizations that have opportunities of development for the African youth. Our work is easier with partnership and idea sharing to mainstream the African youth into our works.
The African Union hasn’t done enough to promote or popularize the Agenda2063 and so we have a lot of work to do to step down the education of the agenda to rural areas. We are looking at translating the agenda into local languages.
What are the biggest challenges facing the AYUC in the coming years, and how does your organization plan to overcome them?
Our greatest challenge is that as we expand to cover the entire continent, we are saddled with funding issues.
We plan to connect with investors and fundraisers to support our work at the commission logistics and otherwise.
Africa is the continent of the future and we don’t want to compromise that. We will continue to work to make Africa safe for all young people and women across the continent.
Can you give a final message to African youth who want to get involved in promoting African youth and international cooperation in the context of implementing the Agenda 2063?
The work is enormous and we need more hands on deck. The commission is always opened to membership and leadership to all and sundry.
Every idea and thought is welcomed, we use our social media platforms to connect with likeminded individuals to step down our activities. The thing about international relations is that it opens your minds to all kinds of knowledge and resources.
The agenda 2063 is for Africans, we must own and embody it and allow it to control our daily lives as we all thrive to develop one facet of life or the other.
