The two days event will be held at
the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, The youth conference on
29th January 2014 and working lunch on the 30th January 2014 is jointly
organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation and the Africa Union Commission.
Objectives of day one session is to
listen to the youth of Africa voice their opinion as to how policy makers can
help improve their prospects for employment while day two hold a panel
discussion on the topics of: How government can create the right incentives to
attract business investment to address the current infrastructure deficit, and
as a channel for creating jobs and How governments can address the deficiencies
of local expertise and strengthen institutions to support the implementation of
infrastructure investment programmes.
Global Youth Innovation Network Ghana, Solomon
Elorm Allavi wrote,” I've been invited and another GYIN member in Ghana by name
Alex Tawiah ( who also represented GYIN Ghana at the AU Youth celebration in
Tunisia: check GYIN website: http://www.gyin.org/
GYIN has established the basis of an effective
networking, mentorship, knowledge sharing, and collaboration platform for both
poor urban and rural youth entrepreneurs.
In 2011, the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Phelps Stokes
partnered to organize a workshop/fair focusing on youth entrepreneurship and
innovation. By capitalizing on this innovative idea and taking into account the
wishes and desires of many rural young women and men, the two institutions
recognized the need to provide a continuous “space” by establishing a platform
now known as GYIN.
“There will be a blog post on it a week to the event
and GYIN will also be actively involved in the discussion via twitter with the
other youth representatives. It was a direct invitation sent to us since the
GYIN Ghana team that went to Tunisia in November last year did an excellent
work there,” ends.
The youth
event will be conducted with 120 youth delegates, Heads of State, international
organisations and the private sector attending panel discussions and direct
feedback sessions to capture the prevailing thoughts of the African youth on
how they can be helped in being employed.
The luncheon discussions will be led by President Obasanjo and H.E Madam Zuma,
with the session deliberately designed to be interactive and allow for
different sector participants to have their voices heard. Professional
facilitators will ensure an organised structure to the conversation. A Common
Position on the way forward will be developed on points of action prior to the
dissolution of the meeting promptly at 15:00 hrs.
- See more at: http://olusegunobasanjofoundation.org/oof_event/accelerating-youth-employment-in-africa/#.UtxC2LTLfIU. President Olusegun Obasanjo has
lived a life committed to service of humanity.
“There are close to 239 million people
(source: world hunger education service) in Africa living in extreme poverty.
They suffer from chronic shortages of basic necessities such as food, clean
water, shelter and sanitation. The Foundation partners with change agents,
policy makers, global partners and visionary individuals worldwide to tackle
critical problems in four critical areas of human security: Food and Nutrition
Security: Feed Africa Initiative, Economic Security: Youth Empowerment
Initiative, Gender Equality: Education for Girls Initiative and Health
Security: Health Improvement Initiative”, according to information made available
on its website.
Each area has a cornerstone
initiative supported by three key functions: grant making, grant management and
advocacy. The Foundation seeks to forge strong partnerships and work to raise
public awareness of the issues focused on and also encourage inspiring action
at all levels.
In addition to these initiatives,
the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta –Nigeria, due for
completion in 2013, supports the mission of the Foundation. The Center hosts a
youth center and is collaborating with international partners to bring
technical training for the Foundation’s Youth Empowerment Initiative. The
Center will inspire the next generation of leaders and others to follow in
President Obasanjo’s legacy of committed service.
In brief President Olusegun Obasanjo
 |
| President Olusegun Obasanjo |
Olusegun Obasanjo served as
President of Nigeria from May 1999 to May 2007. It was the culmination of a
life spent on the front line of African politics. In 2008 he was appointed by
the United Nations as a special envoy for Africa and has since overseen democratic
elections on behalf of the African Union and Ecowas in countries across the
continent. He has since emerged as an advocate for investment into the country
and with the launch of his Foundation will tackle issues critical to advance
across the Continent.
Obasanjo became President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1999, following the demise of the
military
dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. After fifteen years of repressive rule
that saw Nigeria slip into pariah status internationally, Obasanjo quickly
emerged as the front-runner to lead the country’s historic transition back to
democracy. He had suffered firsthand the brutality of the Abacha regime, having
been imprisoned in 1995 on fabricated charges of plotting a coup to depose him.
President Obasanjo is also Founder
of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, a UK based charity that has a mission of
advancing Human Security for All. The Foundation has wide ranging initiatives
of Feeding Africa, Youth Empowerment, Education for Girls and a health
initiative focused on non-communicable and water borne diseases.
As Africa assumes an increasingly
central role in international policy and business the continent will continue
to have an unwavering advocate in Obasanjo.
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