President of the Republic of South Africa Mr Jacob Zuma
President of the Pan-African Youth Union, Mr Yershen Pillay
Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Youth Affairs from various countries
The Executive Committee of the PYU
Ladies and gentlemen
Mr President, thank you for blessing the Fourth Congress of the Pan-African Youth Union (PYU) with your presence and also agreeing to give a keynote address that will set the tone for the discussions in the next two days.
As the President of the PYU, Mr Yershen Pillay, indicated in his opening address, the theme for this Congress is "Youth Moving Africa Forward”. This places the youth at the epicenter of defining the agenda for Africa's development through articulation of the various aspirations of Agenda 2063 as adopted by the AU Heads of State in Equatorial Guinea.
The whole world has become youthful, especially the developing world, and the youth constitute more than 65% of the continent and 60% of the Commonwealth countries. This also means that for Agenda 2063 to succeed, it will have to look into the needs, interests and aspirations of young people by listening to young people.
Our continent, Mr President, is experiencing the highest economic growth levels ever seen, with six of the ten world's fastest growing economies being in the continent. Through partnerships of African countries, and with the whole world, the continent is moving forward and changing its face as the 'basket case' of the world and is becoming more assertive on its independent development.
The situation has drastically changed since the formation of the Organisation for African Union 51 years ago and now that of the African Union 14 years ago. Our leaders are no longer talking about external dependence models such as Aid, Donor Funding and budgetary support as the means to sustain Africa's livelihood but are articulating Africa's led growth.
Mr President, although since 2008, in the aftermath of the global capitalist crises, Africa's aggregate exports have declined. It is also critical to mention the fact that even its import of finished goods from the world have also declined and having more African economies focusing on industrialisation and beneficiation of its mineral resources.
As host, through your leadership Mr President, and under the auspices of the National Youth Development Agency, we are committed to use this platform to steer the policy directions of youth organisations in the continent in advocating for sustainable solutions on youth employment and enterprise, education and skills development, fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS and healthy lifestyles, combating drugs and substance abuse and ensuring that young people actively participate in their respective governments to realize the implementation of National Youth Policies.
Our country, like 31% others around the world, is undergoing the review of its National Youth Policy. We insist, Mr President, that all these policy reviews should be anchored in 'moving Africa forward' through Agenda 2063.
Through this Congress, we hope that we will see more and more African countries beginning to define democracy, governance, economic growth, accountability not in the terms as set by the West or the North, but in the terms as defined by the future of this continent, which is its youth gathered here today.
It is that time when the youth of this continent, as the majority population of this generation, declare that:
- We will foster democracy and peace throughout the continent so as to secure a better future for ourselves and the generations after;
- We will ensure that our programmes and solutions are intended to negotiate relations with the world in our own terms so as to advance the development of our continent without exploitation;
- That we will encourage our different governments to move more towards co-operation in economic and trade-relations, and not allow multilateral agreements such as the Economic Partnership Programmes and others to continue to divide us;
- That we will ensure that we carve Africa's solutions through African means, methods and agenda; and not allow external forces to dictate, impose and lecture us on how we will take this continent forward.
The end of colonialism, apartheid and their remnants, and the fight against neo-colonialism, will be championed by this generation of youth as we have more to lose than any other period and generations the African continent has witnessed.
Therefore, any peace and stability will be on our own terms. Any economic development and inclusive growth will be on our own terms. Democracy and good governance will be on our own terms. Civil society activism and public participation will be on our own terms, not puppets of external forces and dictatorships.
With those few words, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to invite the fourth democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa, a champion of youth development, Africa's unity and Africa's peace, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, to the podium to present his keynote address.
I thank you.
