PDF (2.0 MB)

of Africa’s young to other corners of the globe. While there is evidencethat the evolution of personal aspirations plays a part, it is alsoclear that the lack of employment opportunities is a primary causativefactor. Our economies are not creating enough meaningful jobsfor our young people.Increasingly, this lack of opportunities drives them to try to migrateto places where better opportunities exist. Many lives tragically endin this quest while many among those who succeed end up strugglingat the bottom rungs of the societies to which they have migrated.These problems and challenges can be successfully overcomethrough partnership, a pact between young and old, and a pact thatyouth can only make with itself. Let me in this regard paraphrasethe Secretary-General’s call to World Youth at the recent UN YouthSummit: youth, as leaders of the future are essential to our efforts tomeet the simple but powerful people-centred targets of the MDGs.But youth must make themselves essential, and the rest of us, especiallyour leaders, must make it possible for youth to make themselvesessential.Let us rise from this ADF, whose work programme I am sure we areall now well acquainted with, resolved and determined to create anew partnership with the youth, a partnership based on a firm commitmentby both not to abdicate responsibilities to self and to societyat large. It is my hope and expectation that we will rise from thismeeting with a consensus on an actionable agenda to enhance thecontribution of youth to African development.Integrating Africa271