Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit: Young leaders met in Addis Ababa

Earlier this month, the Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit took place at Adwa Memorial Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Lavina Oluoch, AU/YPS Policy and Coordination Officer at Search For Common Ground, our consortium partner, participated in the summit representing the programme. More than 500 young leaders, including youth representatives, organizations, policymakers, and institutional stakeholders, participated in the event. It was hosted by the Government of Ethiopia through the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the African Union.

The three-day gathering provided a crucial platform for young people from across the continent to engage in policy dialogue, explore leadership opportunities, and address pressing development issues. Discussions covered topics such as enhancing youth participation in governance, advancing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda, increasing climate finance for youth-led initiatives, and promoting the ratification and domestication of the AfCFTA Protocol.

A significant outcome of the summit was the collective agreement to pursue amendments to the African Youth Charter. This step aimed to ensure the Charter reflects the evolving priorities and challenges faced by African youth today, acknowledging their critical role in governance and development processes. Among the initiatives featured was the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab programme, which highlighted the importance of cross-continental collaboration and the value of youth-led solutions. Participants shared experiences and strategies for amplifying youth voices within institutional frameworks, reinforcing their role as active stakeholders in continental progress. By creating space for collaboration, learning, and policy influence, the summit marked a step forward in institutionalizing youth participation across key sectors of governance and development.