Determined to drive policy reforms, infrastructure development, and trade facilitation in the African continent, the Africa Policy Conversations (AFPC), a non-profit organisation, has taken the lead in facilitating conversations among countries in Africa.
In line with this, AFPC hosted a conversation recently at the Nigerian Mission in New York on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly held in the United States.
The conversation also served as a platform for constructive engagement between African youths, leading African decision-makers, and corporate executives among others.
Niyi Adebayo, Nigeria’s minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment said it is important for Africans in the diaspora to engage in the transfer of knowledge and skills through mentoring, entrepreneurship development and capacity-building programmes.
Chinenye Uwanaka, convener and co-founder of AFPC, said there is a need for Africans in the diaspora to collaborate with those in the continent to strengthen the policy-making and governance process.
According to her, there is also a need to ensure that the diaspora remittances that flow into the continent are used judiciously to boost infrastructure, innovation, trade and wealth creation in Africa.
“Change is hard and no one can do it alone. We do not need to rely on foreign aid. Rather, we need to find local solutions to local problems facing us. No one is coming to save us. All the potential is in Africa and the youth need to step up courageously to harness our power and resources,” she said.
Speaking on the theme ‘Leveraging the Power of the African Youth as a Viable Solution for Realising the Potential of the Continent,’ Sunday Akin Dare, minister of Youths and Sports, said there are empowerment schemes for Nigerian university graduates who can provide a good and convincing business model.
Dare said the establishment of a Youth Bank where any successful applicant can make a pitch and get a loan to support his business is one of the initiatives launched under this administration to support the socio-economic development of Nigerian youths.
The first panel focused on ‘US Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa,’ and how public-private partnerships can sustain, develop and secure critical mineral resources that will supply clean energy technologies required to facilitate Africa’s role in the global energy transition, among others.
The second panel emphasised the importance of embracing modern technological concepts in e-commerce, fashion, music, entertainment, and other creative industries in the continent.
